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The Phantom II

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation began studies for an all-weather attack fighter in Aug. 1953. The basic version was a single seat aircraft with 45 degree swept wings. The Navy, however, preferred to sponsor the development of a two seat fighter which it ordered in Sept. 1955.

In compliance with a Secretary of Defense directive, the Air Force evaluated the Navy's F-4B and was forced to conclude that the naval fighter was a far more flexible weapons system than its own contemporary tactical fighter, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. Although the Thunderchief was a superb strike fighter, it was under powered for the heavy loads it was intended to carry and could not be modified into a satisfactory air superiority fighter.

On Jan. 17, 1962, the Air Force bought the F-4 Phantom designating it the F-4C. The first prototype flew on May 27, 1963. The F-4C had only the basic requirements the Air Force needed and it was soon modified to the F-4D. The first production F-4D flew on Dec. 9, 1965, out of Lambert Field, St. Louis.

The F-4 joined combat forces in Southeast Asia in May 1967. It first proved its worth in combat June 5, 1967, when a crew from the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron downed a MiG-17 with an AIM-7 rocket. F-4Ds were the first aircraft to use laser guided munitions carrying GBU-1O/B Mk 84 Laser guided bombs in May 1968. The last F-4D officially credited with the destruction of a MiG-21 was on Jan. 8, 1973.

Description Manufacturer: McDonnell-Douglas
Designation: F-4  Version: D  Nickname: Phantom II
Equivalent to: F-110A  Type: Fighter

Specifications
Length: 62' 10' 18.90 M
Height: 16' 6" 5.03 M
Wingspan: 38' 5" 11.71 M
Wing area: 530.00 Sq Ft 49.23 Sq M
Empty Weight: 28276.0 lbs 12823.0 Kg
Gross Weight: 50341.0 lbs 22830.0 Kg
Max Weight: 58000.0lbs 26303.0 Kg

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McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1988)

Propulsion
No. of Engines: 2  Power-plant: General Electric J79-GE-15 (A/B 17,000Lb/7,711Kg) Thrust (each): 10900 4944

Performance
Range: 1375 miles 2214.00 Km
Cruise Speed: 587.00 mph 945.00 Km/H 510.81 Kt
Max Speed: 1459.00 Mph 2349.00 Km/H 1269.73 Kt (1432 mph at 42,000 feet (Mach 2.17), 826 mph at sea level (Mach 1.08).
Landing speed 165 mph. Initial climb rate 40,100 feet per minute. Climb: 48300.0 Ft/min 14721.1 M/min
Ceiling: 59400.0 Ft 18104.0 M
Combat range 502 miles, maximum range 1844 miles with maximum external fuel. 28,958 pounds empty, 51,577 pounds gross, 38,781 pounds
Combat weight, 59,380 pounds
Armament: The F-4D utilizes a choice of bombs, rockets and missiles as primary armament. When operating in the attack or close air support role, it normally carries air-to-air missiles for self protection. Weapons and/or external tanks can be carried on nine external store stations with a combined maximum weight of 15,485.
Armament consisted of four AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi-recessed slots in the fuselage belly, plus two to four AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons. A total offensive load of up to 16,000 pounds could be carried on the centerline and four underwing hardpoints.
Maximum internal fuel in the fuselage tanks was 1260 gallons. An additional 630 gallons of fuel could be carried in internal tanks inside the wings.
Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in a centerline tank that could be carried underneath the fuselage plus 370 US gallons in each of two tanks that could be carried underneath the outer underwing pylons, bringing total fuel load to 3230 US gallons.

 

The McDonnell F-4 Phantom

Joe Baugher

The McDonnell Phantom was one of the most successful postwar fighters. It was the second most prolific American jet fighter to be built, outnumbered only by the North American Sabre. Total US production was 5057, with another 138 being built under license in Japan. The Phantom was in continuous production for 20 years (from 1959 until 1979). During the Vietnam war, 72 Phantoms were coming off the production line every month.

Although initially designed as an interceptor and later used primarily in the air-to-ground strike role, the Phantom proved to be surprisingly successful in the air-to-air role when the correct tactics were used. USAF, Navy, and Marine Corps Phantom IIs achieved 277 air-to-air combat victories in Vietnam. In service with the Israel Defense Forces/Air Force, the Phantom claimed 116 air-to-air victories in various conflicts between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

The Phantom served with the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, and the United States Marine Corps. Overseas, it served with the air forces of Australia, Egypt, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, The Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and Turkey. In addition, it served for many years with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. The Phantom is now in the twilight of its career, and is no longer in active service with either the United States Navy or Marine Corps. It does, however, remain in service in small numbers with the USAF, primarily in its F-4G Wild Weasel version, and some are still flying with several squadrons of the Air National Guard. Although no longer in service in the United Kingdom, the Phantom should remain in service with the air forces of most of its other customers until well after the year 2000.

The Phantom was the first naval fighter to dispense totally with cannon armament. It was the first fighter that was able to identify, intercept and destroy any target that came into range of its radar without having to rely on ground control. It was the first fighter originally designed solely as a carrier-based fighter to be ordered by the USAF. It was the first fighter to have computer-controlled air inlets for for optimum airflow to the engines. Finally, it was the first aircraft to be flown simultaneously by both the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds flight demonstration teams.

The design of what was eventually to emerge as the McDonnell F-4 Phantom began in August of 1953. The McDonnell design team was headed by Herman Barkley. Initially, the goal of the team was to extend the production life of the F3H Demon single-seat carrier-based fighter by boosting its performance and improving its versatility. Several quite different design concepts emerged, all of them being informally designated by the company as F3H-X since they were all viewed as a natural follow-on to the F3H Demon.

F3H-C prototype: The first of these preliminary designs was the F3H-C or the "Super Demon". The F3H-C was to be powered by a single Wright J67 turbojet and was to be capable of reaching Mach 1.69 at high altitude. The J67 was a license-built version of the British-built Bristol Olympus turbojet engine, and was untried and unproven at the time.

The F3H-E project (also known as Model 98A by the company) was similarly powered, but dispensed with the nose-high attitude of the Demon and stood level on a tricycle undercarriage. It had a 45-degree swept wing of 450 square feet in area. In the event, the J67 engine never did materialize as a realistic power-plant for American aircraft.

The Model 98B (F3H-G) project was to be powered by a pair of Wright J65-W-2 (or W-4) turbojets rated at 7800 lb.s.t. each. The twin-engine configuration was attractive to many in the Navy, because of the increased amount of safety it offered over a single-engine aircraft. The engines were to be fed by a pair of side-mounted air intakes. A low-mounted swept wing and an all-flying straight tail-plane were to be used. This wing was slightly larger than that of the F3H-E, with a 530-square foot area. The fuselage was to be designed in conformance with the area rule, in order that minimum transonic drag be achieved. The F3H-G aircraft was to be equipped with an Aero 11B fire control system and an AN/APQ-150 radar. Armament was to consist of four 20-mm cannon, but provision for a retractable pack carrying 56 two-inch FFAR rockets was also proposed. A heavy load of bombs and fuel tanks could be carried on up to nine external stores stations (four under each wing and one underneath the fuselage). A maximum speed of Mach 1.52 was envisaged.

The J65 was a license-built version of the British-designed Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine, and was already in production at the time. Although at that time the Navy was experiencing a good deal of trouble with the J65 engine installed in its North American FJ-3 Fury single-engine fighter, the McDonnell team fully expected that these problems would be resolved by the time that their F3H-G proposal was ready for production.

The F3H-H was similar in overall configuration to the F3H-G, but was to be powered by a pair of higher-thrust General Electric J79 turbojets. The J79 was at that time a new and untried engine. Assuming that the J79 performed as promised, a maximum speed of Mach 1.97 was envisaged. The Model 98F was the photographic reconnaissance version of the Model 98C. Models 98C and D were to be fitted respectively with delta and straight wings, and were to be powered either by a pair of Wright J65s or two J79s.

The Model 98E (F3H-J) was to have been similar to Models 98C and D, but with a larger and thinner delta wing.

Herman Barkley's design team decided that the Model 98B with its twin J65s offered the best potential and they abandoned work on all the other configurations. A full-sized mockup of the Model 98B (F3H-G) was built. The company hedged its bets by designing the right side of the mockup for a J79 engine and the left for a J65.

On September 19, 1953, McDonnell submitted its Model 98B project to the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) in the form of an unsolicited proposal. Since the Navy as yet had no official requirement for such an aircraft, McDonnell tried to cover all bases by developing interchangeable single- and two-seat noses that could be accommodated to widely different roles. Noses were designed that could carry search radars, missile fire-control systems, mapping radars, cameras, or electronic reconnaissance equipment.

Although the Navy was favorably impressed by the Model 98B proposal, the Grumman XF9F-9 Tiger and the Vought XF8U-1 Crusader which had been ordered respectively in April and June of 1953 appeared to satisfy all the Navy's immediate requirements for supersonic fighters. Nevertheless, the Navy encouraged McDonnell to rework its design into a single-seat, twin-engine all-weather attack aircraft to compete against designs being worked on by Grumman and North American. McDonnell submitted a formal development proposal for the F3H-G/H to the Navy in August of 1954. The Navy responded in October of 1954 by issuing a letter of intent for two prototypes and a static test aircraft. The Navy assigned the designation AH-1 to the project, reflecting its intended ground attack mission. The AH-1 was to have no less then eleven weapons pylons. Armament was to consist of four 20-mm cannon.

On December 14, 1954, the multi-role mission of the aircraft was formally abandoned by the Navy, and McDonnell was requested to rework the proposal as an all-weather interceptor. McDonnell was instructed to remove the cannon and all hardpoints except for a centerline pylon for a 600-US gallon fuel tank. In addition, troughs were to be added for four Raytheon Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles. A Raytheon-designed APQ-50 radar was added, this installation being essentially that installed in the F3H-2 Demon. A second seat was added to accommodate a radar operator. On April 15, 1955, in a formal letter from the BuAer to the Commander of Naval Operations, the J79 engine was formally adopted, and all work on the J65-powered version was dropped.

On May 26, 1955, after further review of Navy requirements, the BuAer requested that the designers complete the two prototypes (BuNos 142259 and 142260) as two-seat all-weather fighters carrying an entirely missile-based armament. On June 23, 1955, the designation was changed to YF4H-1, a fighter designation. A day later, McDonnell issued a new model number for the project--98Q.

This factory designation was to be short-lived, since when a contract for 18 airframes beginning with 2 flight test prototypes and a static test article was signed on June 24, it was for the Model 89R with the APQ-72 I/J-band radar which was to be compatible with the Sparrow III semi-active radar homing missile. This order was changed to Model 98S shortly thereafter, the changed designation indicating the provision of the capability of handling the infrared homing Sidewinder missile in addition to the radar-homing Sparrow.

YF4H-1 prototype: On July 25, 1955, the Navy and the manufacturer agreed to a detailed list of specifications for the YF4H-1. The aircraft was to be capable of staying on patrol for up to two hours at at time at a distance of up to 250 nautical miles from its carriers and was to be able to remain in the air for at least three hours without midair refueling. At the same time, the go-ahead for the F4H project was confirmed, with a formal contract being written for the two previously-ordered prototypes but also for five pre-production aircraft (BuNos 143388 to 143392).

The YF4H-1 mockup was inspected between November 17 and 23, 1955. The twin J79 afterburning turbojets were to be mounted in the lower portions of the fuselage and fed by fixed-geometry cheek air intakes. The primary armament was to be four Sparrow III radar-guided missiles mounted in semi-submerged slots beneath the fuselage. No provision was made for the mounting of cannon. At the same time, the Navy authorized Vought to build two prototypes of the single-seat, single-engine F8U-3 Crusader III to compete with the F4H-1. In reality, the aircraft should have been designated F9U, and it should have been Crusader II rather than Crusader III.

After much wind-tunnel testing, it was found that the new McDonnell fighter would encounter severe stability problems at high speeds and would as a result probably be limited to speeds below Mach 2. In order to correct these problems, several important changes had to made. One of these was the application of 23 degrees of dihedral to the all-flying tail-plane, which became known as a stabilator. This gave the necessary degree of stability but still left the tail-plane free of the jet exhaust. Another change was to the outer wing panels. The center section of the wing had originally been envisaged as a single unit spanning 27 feet from wing fold to wing fold. It was decided to give the outer (folding) panels twelve degrees of dihedral, and a dog-tooth leading edge was fitted. Another change was to the air intakes. The intakes had originally had a fixed geometry, but it was now decided to fit movable ramps to the sides of the air intakes. These ramps could be adjusted in flight to admit the optimal airflow to the engines at various speeds and angles of attack. These changes took time to incorporate in the design, and initial structural release was not authorized until December 31, 1956.

In the meantime, on December 19, 1956, the Navy ordered 11 more F4H-1s (BuNos 145307/145317). These were to be the first full production aircraft.

The first YF4H-1 was to have been powered by a pair of General Electric J79-GE-8 engines, but delays in their development led to the substitution of a pair of 14,800 lb.s.t. afterburning J79-GE-3A engines on loan from the Air Force. The first F4H-1 was a proof-of-concept aircraft and was not equipped with radar and was not wired for missile firings. However, four dummy Sparrow missiles were carried in their ventral under-fuselage recesses. Ballast was provided in place of the AN/APG-50 airborne intercept radar that was to be carried. The tandem cockpits were covered by a canopy that was flush with the top of the fuselage. However, on the first YF4H-1, only the pilot's cockpit was provisioned, with the rear radar operator's position being filled with test instrumentation. The YF4H-1 was fitted with wing leading edge flaps which extended from the wingtip all the way inward to about one-quarter span. They were in two segments, divided by the wing folding point. These would droop downward at low speed to provide additional lift at low speeds.

The wing leading edges as well as the flaps were all blown by high-pressure air bled from the engine compressors, which produced a sheet of air which helped to keep airflow attached at high angles of attack.

Five-degree fixed air intake ramps were fitted. Flush NACA-type inlets were mounted on the lower sides of the forward fuselage just behind the radome to feed ram air into the air-conditioning system which cooled the electronics.

The trailing edge of the horizontal main wing was divided into two, the inboard surface being a flap and the outboard being a "flaperon". The "flaperon" was a sort of aileron which could be moved down only, not up. Immediately ahead of each was a large spoiler. To roll to the left, the pilot would push the right flaperon down and the left spoiler up. A complex pattern of large perforations was applied to the spoilers which were mounted on the upper wing trailing edges ahead of the flaps and just inboard of the wing folding points. The aircraft had no ailerons in the conventional sense, with control being provided by spoilers and downward flaperons only. The outer wing panels were canted up by twelve degrees and had no control surfaces except for the hinged (drooping) leading edge. The stabilators had a 23 1/4 degree dihedral, and provided all of the pitch control.

The YF4H-1 prototype made its maiden flight on May 27, 1958, taking off from Lambert-St. Louis Municipal Airport with McDonnell test pilot Robert C. Little at the controls. On the first flight, the nose gear door would not close, there were difficulties with the hydraulic system, and there were problems with the engines. Consequently, the flight had to be cut short, but the aircraft landed safely. The right engine was replaced and the air inlet ramps were repositioned at 4 degrees. On the second flight on May 29, the nose landing gear door still would not close. However, on the third and fourth flights on May 31 and June 2, things went better and the aircraft flew at speeds of Mach 1.30 to 1.68.

142259 was sent out to Edwards AFB for initial flight trials. The YF4H-1 and the competing F8U-3 were put through the Navy Phase I flight evaluations at Edwards AFB, and in December of 1958 the F4H-1 was declared the winner of the contest. On December 17, 1958, McDonnell was awarded a follow-on contract for 24 more F4H-1s (BuNos 148252/148275). This brought the total production order to 45 machines.

The second YF4H-1 (BuNo 142260) flew in October of 1958. It was provided with an operable AN/APQ-50 radar and a fully-equipped rear cockpit. Variable-inlet ramps were fitted which were set at 5 degrees for the fixed portion and at ten degrees for the variable panel downstream. The aircraft was provided with un-perforated spoilers, and a ram-air turbine was fitted which could be extended upward by a pneumatic ram from a compartment situated above the left intake duct. This turbine drove an emergency hydraulic pump that powered the controls in the case of an in-flight emergency. An ASA-32 autopilot was provided. YF4H-1 144260 was later retrofitted with Martin-Baker Mk H5 ejector seats. In 1960, wiring was installed for the firing of the Sparrow missiles.

On July 3, 1959, the F4H-1 was officially named Phantom II in a ceremony held at the McDonnell plant in St Louis. At one time, the project manager, Don Malvern, had wanted to name it Satan, and James S. McDonnell himself had wanted to name the aircraft Mithras, after the Persian god of light. In practice, the Roman numeral II was often omitted from the name, since the original Phantom, the FH-1, had long been out of service and there was no possibility of confusion.

Following trials at Edwards AFB, the first YF4H-1 (BuNo 142259) was returned to the manufacturer in St Louis in October of 1958. It continued to be used for various flight test programs. On its 296th flight, on October 21, 1959, the aircraft suffered a failure of the aft access door of the right engine, which led to a further catastrophic failures and to the crash of the aircraft, killing test pilot Gerald "Zeke" Huelsbeck.

The Navy was anxious to publicize its newest fighter, and the second YF4H-1 (142260) was used on December 6, 1959 by Commander Lawrence E. Flint, Jr. to set a new world's altitude record of 98,560 feet. This record, set as a part of Project Top Flight, bettered the existing record of 94,658 feet, set by Major V. S. Ilyushin of the Soviet Union in a Su-T-43-1. To set this record, Commander Flint took his YF4H-1 up to 47,000 feet and a speed of Mach 2.5. He then pulled the aircraft up into an angle of attack of 45 degrees, and then climbed to 90,000 feet. He then shut down his engines and coasted up to 98,560 feet and went over the top and then began to fall back to earth. At 70,000 feet, he restarted his engines and made a normal landing.

On December 22, 1961, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Robert B. Robinson used 142260 to set a new world absolute speed record of 1606.347 mph. On his second run at an altitude of 45,000 feet over the measured 15/25 km course, Lt. Col. Robinson's Phantom was clocked at over 1700 mph. This speed run was known as Operation Skyburner. For the record attempt, 142260 was fitted with a special water/alcohol spray in the engine inlet ducts to cool the air ahead of the compressors and thus increase engine thrust.

Flying the previously-modified YF4H-1 BuNo 142260, Commander George W. Ellis set a new sustained altitude record of 66,443.8 feet.

F4H-1F (F-4A) (Developmental): The initial production version of the Phantom for the United States Navy was the F4H-1F (F-4A). Among the most significant of the changes incorporated during the production run of the F4H-1 was a change in the geometry of the air intakes. The upper air intake lip extension that had been employed by earlier Phantoms was eliminated. The outer lip of the inlet now appeared straight from the side view, but sloped forward from bottom to top. The fixed splitter plates were replaced by a combination of a ten-degree variable ramp mounted aft of a fixed five-degree ramp. The inner splitter plate was made much larger and now stood 3 inches away from the wall of the fuselage. The inner splitter plate had 12,500 tiny bleed air holes on its surface through which boundary layer air was sucked by aft-facing ejectors. Boundary-layer control was achieved via compressor air blown over the leading- and trailing-edge flaps.

The radar fitted to the early F4H-1F was the I/J-band APQ-72, but initially still with the 24-inch reflector. This radar was sometimes referred to as the AN/APQ-50 (Mod). Attachments for five (and later 9) of the original 11 pylons were restored, with the inboard wing pylons each carrying either an extra Sparrow or a pair of Sidewinders (one on each side of the pylon).

An AAA-4 infrared search and tracking sensor was added in a prominent bulge underneath the radome. It was fitted (or retrofitted) from F4H-1F number 5 (143390) onward. This sensor was only the second IR sensor to enter service outside the USSR. It required radar data for range information. A retractable in-flight refueling probe was added to the right side of the cockpit. When retracted it was almost invisible, but when extended it protruded out about four feet to the right of the windshield. The mounting of this probe required the elimination of the right console in the rear cockpit and the redistribution of some instruments.

On September 18, 1962, the J79-GE-2/2A powered F4H-1F was re-designated F-4A in accordance with the new Tri-Service designation system. The J79-GE-8 powered F4H-1 was re-designated F-4B. Only 45 F-4As were built before production switched over to the F-4B. Most of the 45 F-4As built served in research and training roles, and very few ever reached squadron service as they were not considered fully operational. Aircraft from Block 3 onward served in the East Coat and West Coast RAGs to train crews and to perfect operational techniques.

F4H-1, F-4B: The F4H-1 (Model 98AM) was the first definitive production version of the Phantom, the earlier F4H-1F being considered developmental. The first Phantom to be considered fully-operational was the block 6 version of the F4H-1. In September 1962, the F4H-1F was re-designated F-4A, with the F4H-1 becoming F-4B.

In October of 1962, Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba, and in that month the F-4Bs of VF-41 were transferred from NAS Oceana to NAS Key West in Florida. At the same time, Phantoms operating from the USS Enterprise and the USS Independence (CVA-62) participated in the imposition of the quarantine of Cuba.

By the time of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August of 1964, 13 Navy fighter squadrons were equipped with F-4Bs. The first Phantom combat sorties were flown during Operation Pierce Arrow on August 5, 1964 from the USS Constellation (CVA-64). These were flown by F-4Bs from VF-142 and VF-143, which flew top cover to warplanes striking North Vietnamese torpedo boat bases in retaliation for the Gulf of Tonkin incident.

The first Phantom air-to-air kill of the Vietnam War did not actually involve a North Vietnamese fighter. It took place in a battle between F-4Bs from the USS Ranger (CVA-61) and Chinese MiG-17s near Hainan Island on April 9, 1965. F-4B BuNo 151403, piloted by Lt jg Terence M. Murphy of VF-69 shot down a Chinese MiG-17. However, he himself was shot down immediately thereafter, probably by a Sparrow fired by one of his wingmen. This incident was not generally reported, lest it complicate Chinese-American relations.

The first American crew to shoot down a North Vietnamese fighter were Commander Thomas C. Page and Lieutenant Jon C. Smith Jr of VF-21 flying F-4B 151488 from USS Midway (CVA-41), who destroyed a MiG-17 near Haiphong on June 17, 1965.

In air-to-air combat the F-4 had to rely on its Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles, there being no internal cannon fitted. As a result of combat experience in Vietnam, chaff dispensers were added above the rear fuselage sides. ECM capabilities were steadily improved, with the addition of Radar Homing and Warning Systems and Deception Systems such as the ALQ-51 and AN/ALQ-100.

The Marine Corps received its first F4H-1s in June of 1962 when VMF(AW)-314 traded in its F4D Skyrays for the Phantom. Beginning in April of 1965, Marine Corps F-4Bs were based at airfields in Vietnam and Thailand (as well as aboard the USS America (CVA-66)). They took an active part in the Vietnam war, primarily in the ground support role. 72 Marine F-4Bs were lost in combat and three others were destroyed in operational accidents.

A total of 649 F-4Bs were built and delivered to the Navy and the Marine Corps between June 1961 and March of 1967.

Navy F-4Bs were flown by operational squadrons until the late 1960s. During the early 1970s, 228 F-4Bs were upgraded as F-4N under Project Bee Line. The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972. Other F-4Bs were replaced in service by the F-4J, which was a later production variant of the Phantom. The last two active duty Navy squadrons to operate the F-4B, VF-51 and VF-111, finally traded in their planes in 1974.

Specification of the F-4B Phantom: Two General Electric J79-GE-8A/-8B/-8C turbojets, 10,900 lb.s.t. dry, 17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed 1485 mph at 48,000 feet, 845 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate 28,000 feet per minute. Service ceiling 62,000 feet, combat ceiling 56,850 feet. Combat range 400 miles, maximum range 2300 miles with maximum external fuel. 28,000 pounds empty, 44,600 pounds gross, 38,500 pounds combat weight, 54,600 pounds maximum takeoff weight. Wingspan 38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 58 feet 3 3/4 inches, height 16 feet 3 inches. Maximum internal fuel was 1986 US gallons (1358 gallons in fuselage, 630 gallons in wings). Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in centerline tank underneath the fuselage and 740 US gallons in two underwing tanks, bringing total fuel to 3328 US gallons. Armed with four AIM-7D or -7E Sparrow semi-active radar homing missiles in under-fuselage recesses. Inner underwing pylons could each accommodate an additional Sparrow or a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared homing missiles. In ground attack mode, could carry as much as 16,000 pounds of ordnance on centerline pylon underneath the fuselage and on four underwing hardpoints.

 

 

The F-4C For USAF

The impressive performance of the Phantom immediately caught the attention of the USAF, which ordinarily would have been quite reluctant even to consider any aircraft that had originally designed for the Navy. However, under pressure from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who wanted to reduce defense expenditures by achieving greater commonality between the aircraft flown by the various services, the Air Force agreed in 1961 to undertake an evaluation of the F4H-1 Phantom II.

A comparative evaluation between the F4H-1 and the F-106A took place under the code name Operation High-Speed. The F4H-1 had better overall speed, altitude and range performance than the F-106A. In addition, it could carry heavier loads than the F-106A over longer distances and had a 25 percent greater radar range. Later, the Air Force also looked into the possibility of using the Phantom as a tactical fighter and as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft. The F4H-1 was much more versatile than the Air Force's F-105 Thunderchief, since it could not only carry similar external loads but was also potentially a much better air superiority fighter due to its more favorable wing and power loadings. In the reconnaissance role, the Phantom offered a much better performance than the RF-101A/C, and unlike the Voodoo, could be fitted for night photographic missions.

Since the Phantom had so much going for it, in January of 1962, President Kennedy requested Congressional approval for the procurement of F4H-1 derivatives for the Air Force under the designation F-110. The F-110A was to be the tactical fighter version, with RF-110A being the tactical reconnaissance version. The name Specter was assigned to the aircraft.

In support of this program, the Defense Department instructed that McDonnell deliver two Navy F4H-1s to the Air Force for evaluation. On January 24, 1962, the two Navy F4H-1s (BuNos 149405 and 149406) were delivered to the Air Force at Langley AFB in Virginia. They were painted in USAF markings with the designation "F-110A" prominently displayed on the nose, but initially retained their Navy BuNos. They were later given Air Force serials 62-12168 and 62-12169 respectively. The results of the trials were impressive. The Phantom met or exceeded all the Air Force's expectations. In March of 1962, the Defense Department announced that land-based versions of the Phantom were to be the standard tactical fighter and tactical reconnaissance aircraft of the USAF. On March 30, McDonnell received a letter of intent for one F-110A (serial number 62-12199), and on May 29, another letter was received for a pair of YRF-110A reconnaissance aircraft (62-12200 and 62-12201). In order to formalize the F-110 project, the Air Force issued Specific Operational Requirement 200 on August 29, 1962. It called for an aircraft based on the F4H-1 but with added ground attack capability. The folding wings, catapult attachment points, and arrester hooks of the naval version were to be retained, but dual controls were to be provided for the crew member in the rear seat. The high tire pressure of the Navy F-4B was unacceptable to the Air Force, and new wider tires with lower pressures were to be fitted. Anti-skid wheel brakes were to be provided, the Air Force considering that even the tail-hook would not be enough insurance in case of a landing emergency.

On September 18, 1962, the Defense Department ordered that all Air Force, Army, and Navy aircraft be designated under a common, universal system. This was done because Secretary McNamara was interested in achieving greater commonality between the services. According to one story, he supposedly had gotten hopelessly confused when his aides told him that the Navy and the Air Force had completely different designation schemes, often for what was basically the same aircraft. Under the Defense Department order, the separate naval designation system which had been around since 1922 was eliminated. In particular, this meant that the F4H naval designation for the Phantom was abolished and replaced by F-4. At the same time, the F-110 Air Force designation for the Phantom was also abolished and replaced by F-4. Henceforth, both Navy and Air Force Phantoms were to be designated F-4, with Air Force and Navy Phantoms being distinguished from each other only by series letters. The Navy F4H-1 Phantom was re-designated F-4B, whereas the Air Force F-110A became known as F-4C and the YRF-110A became YRF-4C. At the same time, the separate name Spectre for the USAF's version was eliminated, and from that moment onward, both Air Force and Navy F-4s were named Phantom.
 

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F-4 All-Purpose Fighter

NOTE: A jab at Secretary of Defense Mac Namarra who envisioned multi-use aircraft for use by all services. A distinctly bad idea.

The first production F-4C (62-12199) took off on its maiden flight on May 27, 1963. The factory designation was Model 98DE. The F-4C was externally almost identical to the naval F-4B, even retaining the folding wings and arrester gear. However, it differed internally from the F-4B. It was fitted with dual controls, as the Air Force intended to fly it as a two-pilot aircraft. Low-pressure tires were fitted, which required thicker wheels which, in turn, required deeper wheel wells which resulted in a slight bulge having to be added above and below the inner wing panels. An anti-skid wheel system was fitted. The probe-and-drogue midair refueling system of the Navy version was replaced by a boom-type refueling system with a refueling receptacle being mounted on top of the fuselage behind the rear cockpit. The backseat crew member (who was now also a pilot) had new consoles, a lowered panel for improved forward visibility, and a relocated radar tracking handle, attack switches, and other refinements.

The F-4C had substantially different electronic equipment, including a Westinghouse AN/APQ-100 radar system with ground mapping capability, an AN/APA-157 CW illuminator for the AIM-7 Sparrow family of air-to-air missiles, an AN/AJB-7 all-altitude nuclear bomb control system with low-altitude release capability and option for Bullpup release, a Litton AN/ASN-48 (LN12A/B) inertial navigation system, and an AN/ASN-46 navigation computer. Other systems included the ASN-39 (later -46) dead-reckoning navigation computer, the ALR-17 electronic countermeasures radar warning receiver, APR-25 radar homing and warning system, an APR-26 SAM launch warning system, an APN-141 (later -159) radar altimeter, an A24G central air data computer, a General Electric ASA-32A analog autopilot and flight-control system, an ASQ-19 communications/navigation/ identification package, and an ARW-77 Bullpup missile control system. Some F-4Cs were equipped with the SST-181X Combat Skyspot radar bombing system.

The F-4C was powered by two 10,000 lb.s.t. (17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburning) General Electric J79-GE-15 turbojets. A built-in cartridge starting system was provided. The crew members sat on Martin-Baker Mk H5 ejector seats.

The F-4C had no built-in cannon armament. Four AIM-7D or -7E Sparrow missiles could be mounted in recesses underneath the fuselage. Four AIM-4D Falcon or AIM-9B or -9D Sidewinder infrared homing air-to-air missiles could be carried externally on the inboard underwing pylon. Air-to-ground missiles that could be carried included the AGM-12 Bullpup, the AGM-45 Shrike, and the AGM-65 Maverick. Unguided rocket launchers could also be carried, and a load of retarded and un-retarded bombs (conventional, cluster, fire, chemical, or leaflet) could be carried. The Mk.28 "special store" could be carried, although the F-4C did not have a nuclear mission as one of its primary goals. A maximum external load of 16,000 pounds could be carried.

In later years, the lack of an internal gun came to be a problem, and a centerline SUU-16/A pod containing an M61A1 gun and 1200 rounds of ammunition was fitted underneath the fuselage. The F-4C could carry as many as three SUU-16/A (later -23/A) pods, each housing an M61A1 cannon and 1200 rounds of ammunition.

The internal fuel was 1979 US gallons, carried in six fuselage tanks and two integral wing tanks. To supplement the internal fuel, the F-4C could carry a single 600-gallon drop tank on the centerline rack and/or one 370-gallon drop tank underneath each wing

In order to give the Air Force an early start in getting the Phantom into service, the Navy temporarily loaned 27 more F-4Bs to the USAF. These planes were BuNos 150480, 150486, 150493, 150630, 150634, 150643, 150649, 150650, 150652, 150653, 150994, 150995, 150997, 150999, 151000, 151002, 151004, 151006, 151007, 151009,151011, 151014, 151016, 151017, 151020, and 151021. They were temporarily assigned the USAF serials 62-12170/12196. In November of 1963, these aircraft were delivered mainly to the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at MacDill AFB in Florida. They were soon followed by production F-4Cs.

This wing was assigned the initial responsibility for crew training for the F-4C. Some of these borrowed aircraft later went to the 12th TFW, also based at MacDill. The 12th TFW was the first operational user of the F-4C, receiving its first machines in January 1964, replacing the unit's F-84F Thunderstreaks. The 12th TFW achieved initial operational capability in October of 1964. As the pace of F-4C deliveries quickened, the borrowed F-4Bs were returned to the Navy.

On December 2, 1964, four F-4Cs set an unofficial endurance record for jet fighters. They landed at MacDill after an 18-hour flight of nearly 10,000 miles during which they were refueled by KC-135 tankers.

A total of 583 F-4Cs were built. The last F-4C rolled of the production line on May 4, 1966. The 15th TFW deployed its 45th Tactical Fighter to Thailand in 1965. On July 10, 1965, two F-4C crews scored the USAF's first kills of the Vietnam War when they destroyed two MiG-17s over North Vietnam with Sidewinder missiles. In time, the F-4C took over the bulk of the heavy fighting over North and South Vietnam. On a typical mission over the North, an F-4C would carry four Sparrows, four Sidewinders, and a load of eight 750-pound bombs.

The AIM-7D/E Sparrow was carried in the ventral trays. It gave the Phantom a beyond visual range capability at distances of up to 28 miles. However, such launches were very rarely permitted under the terms of the rather restrictive rules of engagement. When it was fired, the Sparrow turned out to be virtually useless against fighter-sized targets, especially at low altitudes. The AIM-9B/D Sidewinder was usually the weapon of choice. The AIM-9D had a range of up to 12 miles. The Pb's infrared seeker head of the AIM-9D had to be cooled before it could lock onto a target, but this was not usually a problem. The early Sidewinders were generally effective only in close stern engagements in good weather at high altitudes. In bad weather or at low altitudes, the results were less impressive, the Sidewinder often losing its lock on its target due to interference from rain or from clouds or having a tendency to lock onto the Sun or onto reflections in lakes or ponds. Ultimately, the Sidewinder scored more aerial victories in the Vietnam War than any other weapon.

On July 24, 1965, F-4C 63-7599 of the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron was downed by a surface to air missile, becoming the first American warplane to be downed by s SAM.

In the first two years of combat in Vietnam, the casualties among the first F-4C squadrons had reached almost 40 percent, for a total of 54 aircraft. Most were lost to AAA, but a few were lost in stall/spin accidents at low altitude. During close-in dogfights, when pulling high-g's or when at steep angles of attack, it was very easy to lose control of an F-4C, especially if it was carrying a centerline store. Recovery from a spin at an altitude below 10,000 feet was essentially impossible, and the only option for survival was generally for the crew to eject.

The F-4C lacked the guns of a complete fighter system, which was found to be a serious deficiency in close-in air-to-air combat. The addition of a SUU-16A gun pod on the under-fuselage centerline compensated for the lack of a gun, but it seriously degraded overall performance and in addition made the aircraft somewhat unstable and difficult to recover from a spin.

Early F-4Cs had problems with wing tank leaks, these problems being so serious that the tanks had to be carefully resealed after each flight. The radar had a tendency to malfunction far too easily, the humid air of Southeast Asia being a persistent problem. Early F-4Cs also had problems with cracked ribs and stringers on the outer wing panels. Later F-4Cs were equipped with a heavier stringer and an additional wing rib. These modifications were retrofitted to earlier F-4Cs.

A number of F-4Cs were modified and equipped with a radar homing and warning (RHAW) system, which enabled these fighters to act as killer pack leaders for air strikes on radar and surface-to-air sites. The Air Force lost six F-4s in crashes between June 1966 and December 1967 because of defects in cylinder barrels that controlled the ailerons. By mid-1968, an inferior potting compound was found in various electrical connections and relays of 385 early production F-4Cs. It took over a year to correct each of these problems.

In 1969, the Air Force finally concluded that the two-pilot policy for the F-4C was a mistake, and flight controls were removed from the rear cockpits of the F-4C, with the backseat crew member becoming a weapons system officer.

Several F-4s had been lost because of fires in the engine bay. This caused a major reconfiguration program to be undertaken which lasted from January through October of 1970.

As F-4Cs were superseded in front-line service by later marks of the Phantom, they were transferred to Air Force Reserve units or to units

The following USAF Wings operated the F-4C:

8th Tactical Fighter Wing
12th Tactical Fighter Wing
15th Tactical Fighter Wing
32nd Tactical Fighter Wing
35th Tactical Fighter Wing
52nd Tactical Fighter Wing
57th Fighter Weapons Wing
57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing
81st Tactical Fighter Wing
86th Tactical Fighter Wing

347th Tactical Fighter Wing
355th Tactical Fighter Wing
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
401st Tactical Fighter Wing
405th Fighter Wing

475th Tactical Fighter Wing
479th Tactical Fighter Wing
3247th Test Squadron
4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing
4525th Fighter Weapons Wing
4531st Tactical Fighter Wing
6512th Test Squadron

As F-4Cs were superseded in front-line service by later marks of the Phantom, they were transferred to Air Force Reserve units or to units of the Air National Guard.

The first F-4Cs began to reach Air Force Reserve units in 1978, initially equipping the 93rd TFS of the 915th Tactical Fighter Group based at Homestead AFB in Florida. In 1981, the 93rd TFS of the 482nd TFW (also based at Homestead) received F-4Cs. These were the only Air Force Reserve units to get the F-4C version of the Phantom, with most of the other Phantom-equipped AF Reserve units getting later F-4Ds and Es. These units operated the F-4C for only a brief time, converting during the early 1980s to F-4Ds.

Ex-USAF F-4Cs first began to reach units of the Air National Guard in 1972. First to get the F-4C was the 170th TFS of the 183rd TFG of the Illinois ANG, which began to receive the type in January of 1972. F-4Cs ended up serving with seven ANG units in the tactical role. In addition, they served in the air defense role from 1978 with seven ANG fighter interceptor squadrons and with a air defense training squadron

They equipped the following ANG units:

110th TFS, 131st TFW, Missouri ANG
111th FIS, 147th FIG, Texas ANG
113th TFS, 181st TFG, Indiana ANG
114th TFTS, 142nd FIG, Oregon ANG
122nd TFS, 159th TFG, Louisiana ANG
123rd FIS, 142nd FIG, Oregon ANG
136th FIS, 107th FIG, New York ANG
163rd TFS, 122nd TFW, Indiana ANG
170th TFS, 183rd TFG, Illinois ANG
171st FIS, 191st FIG, Minnesota ANG
182nd TFS, 149th TFG, Texas ANG
184th TFS, 188th TFG, Arkansas ANG
196th TFS, 163rd TFG, California ANG

199th TFS, 154th CB, Hawaii ANG

Most of the ANG's F-4Cs were replaced in service by later-model F-4Ds and Es (as well as by F-15s and F-16s) during the mid- to late-1980s. The last ANG squadron to fly the F-4C, the 123rd FIS of the Oregon ANG, exchanged its F-4Cs for F-16s in the spring of 1989. None remain in service with any ANG units today.

The only F-4Cs exported to overseas customers were ex-USAF machines (mainly from the 81st TFW) which were shipped to Spain's Ejercito del Aire in 1971-72.

F-4C-24-MC serial number 64-0829 is on display in the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. It was once flown by Robin Olds, who scored four MiG kills in Vietnam.

Serials of the F-4C: 62-12199 McDonnell F-110A Spectre
later re-designated F-4C-15-MC Phantom
63-7407/7420 McDonnell F-4C-15-MC Phantom
63-7421/7442 McDonnell F-4C-16-MC Phantom
63-7443/7468 McDonnell F-4C-17-MC Phantom
63-7469/7526 McDonnell F-4C-18-MC Phantom
63-7527/7597 McDonnell F-4C-19-MC Phantom
63-7598/7662 McDonnell F-4C-20-MC Phantom
63-7663/7713 McDonnell F-4C-21-MC Phantom
64-0654/0672 McDonnell F-4C-21-MC Phantom
64-0673/0737 McDonnell F-4C-22-MC Phantom
64-0738/0817 McDonnell F-4C-23-MC Phantom
64-0818/0881 McDonnell F-4C-24-MC Phantom
64-0882/0928 McDonnell F-4C-25-MC Phantom

Specification of the F-4C:
Two General Electric J79-GE-15 turbojets, 10,900 lb.s.t dry, 17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed 1433 mph at 48,000 feet, 826 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate 40,550 feet per minute. Service ceiling 56,100 feet, combat ceiling 55,600 feet. Combat range 538 miles, maximum range 1926 miles with maximum external fuel. 28,496 pounds empty, 51,441 pounds gross, 38,352 pounds combat weight, 58,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight. Wingspan 38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 58 feet 3 3/4 inches, height 16 feet 3 inches. Maximum internal fuel was 1986 US gallons (1343 gallons in fuselage, 630 gallons in wings). Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in centerline tank underneath the fuselage and 740 US gallons in two underwing tanks, bringing total fuel to 3313 US gallons. Armed with four AIM-7D or-7E Sparrow semi-active radar homing missiles in under-fuselage recesses. Inner underwing pylons could each accommodate a pair of AIM-9B/D Sidewinder infrared homing missiles. In ground attack mode, could carry as much as 16,000 pounds of ordnance on centerline pylon underneath the fuselage and on four underwing hardpoints.

 

The F-4D for The USAF

The F-4D was an improved version of the F-4C which was better suited to the specific requirements of the Tactical Air Command. Although it was externally almost identical to the F-4C which preceded it in USAF service, it was very different internally.

The F-4D was authorized in March of 1964. It had the same engines and basic airframe as the F-4C, and had the same internal fuel tank as that of the RF-4C. The major difference was in the avionics. The most significant change was the replacement of the APQ-100 radar of the F-4C by the smaller and lighter partly solid-state AN/APQ-109A. This was part of the AN/APA-165 radar set which introduced an air-to-ground ranging mode using movable cursors. The F-4Ds fitted with the AN/APQ-109A radar set could be externally distinguished from the F-4C by the presence of a larger radome. However, some F-4Ds were fitted with the AN/APA-157 radar set group similar to that fitted to the F-4C and were hence externally identical to the F-4C.

The under-nose pod for the AAA-4 infrared search and track was removed. The Collins ASQ-19 miniaturized communication/navigation/identification suite became standard. The Litton ASN-48 inertial navigation system of the F-4C was replaced by an ASN-63 set, which was upgraded and made lighter in weight. An AJB-7 all-altitude bomb delivery system was provided, which was connected to an ASQ-91 weapons release computer for delivery of laser-guided bombs.

The F-4D retained the AIM-7 Sparrow capability of the F-4C, but it deleted the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylon in favor of the Hughes AIM-4D Falcon infrared-homing missile. The AIM-4D (originally designated GAR-2B) had a launch weight of 134 pounds and had an maximum effective range of about 6 miles.

However, the infrared Falcon proved relatively unsuccessful in air-to- air combat in Vietnam, shooting down only four MiG-17s and one MiG-21 between October 26, 1967 and February 5, 1968. The Falcon was definitely not a good dog-fighting missile, having been originally designed back in the 1950s for bomber interceptions. One of the basic problems in using the Falcon for dog-fighting was that its aerodynamic design made for relatively limited maneuverability. The moveable surfaces at the end of the four delta wings of the Falcon did not provide sufficient aerodynamic force for the rapid changes of direction that were required to be effective against highly-maneuverable fighters.

The Falcon proved to be somewhat temperamental in service, requiring a lot of careful setting up and tweaking. In addition, the Falcon had a tendency to cause engine flameouts when fired. Perhaps the most significant problem with the AIM-4D was that its fire control system required 6-7 seconds to actually launch the missile after the firing button was pushed, which is an eternity in a dogfight. The internal systems and aerodynamic surfaces of the Falcon were powered by an internal turbo-alternator and hydraulic power unit which was driven by a gas generator. This system took a few seconds to spin up and take over control from the aircraft fire control system. Also, the analog computers in the fire control system had to calculate several pre-launch attack parameters and pass them along to the missiles' guidance system, which also took a second or two. Thirdly, the Falcon required a direct hit to explode, since there was no proximity fuse. The leading edges of the four delta wings were made of fiberboard, and the intent was that upon impact the missile would bury itself in the fuselage of the target up to the midpoint of the missile's wing. The fiberboard would then crush, completing a circuit and detonating the warhead. In addition, the explosive warhead was quite small, only about 4 pounds.

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Arches in Whiskey Area	WolfPack F-4D
WolfPack F-4D	WolfPack F-4D

Consequently, combat pilots in Vietnam were very uncomplimentary about the Falcon. As a result of the barrage of complaints from the field, the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylons was hastily restored. However, in fairness to the Falcon, virtually ALL air-to-air missiles prove to be troublesome in Vietnam and less deadly to enemy aircraft than anticipated. Starting with Block 27, the infrared search and track pod under the radome was reinstalled, but not to house the AAA-4 infrared search and track, but rather to carry the forward amplifier and antenna of the ALR-25/26 radar warning system. Later, this system was replaced by APS-107A with fin antennae and ALR-69(V)2 with antennae in the chin pod. Externally-hung jammers that could be carried included the ALQ-87 FM barrage jammer, the Westinghouse ALQ-101 noise/deception jammer, and the Westinghouse ALQ-119 noise/deception jammer capable of covering three bands. A multiple ejector rack was provided for the centerline pylon and triple ejector racks were provided for the inboard underwing pylon.

In later years, the absence of an internal cannon was seen as a liability in close-in air-to-air combat. The F-4D could carry an external centerline SUU-23 pod containing an M-61A1 cannon, but it was bulky, provided lots of drag which seriously compromised performance, and was rather inaccurate to boot. In addition, the cannon pod took up valuable real estate underneath the fuselage, markedly reducing the offensive load that could be carried. The weapons system officer in the back seat was often given a TV display fed from the seeker of a homing bomb system, initially for the GBU-8 and later for the GBU-15.

For weapons aiming, the F-4C had relied on a fixed sight and a simple chart on which it was projected. The operation of this system made accurate bombing very difficult. The F-4D had improved avionics to increase the accuracy of its air-to-ground weapons. These included an AN/ASQ-91 weapons release computer system. This system measured various aircraft parameters such as speed, attitude, and climbing rate, and combined it with radar data on the slant range to the target to tell the bomb when to drop from the aircraft.

Also fitted was an AN/ASG-22 lead computing optical sight with amplifier and gyro. This system was designed to improve the effectiveness of the Phantom in air-to-air combat. The system combined information about speed, air density and angle of attack, and combined it with radar data about the velocity, direction and distance of the target to compute the lead angle needed to score a hit.

The F-4D was ordered in March of 1964, and the first example flew on December 7, 1965. Deliveries began in March of 1966. The first deliveries were to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Bitburg in Germany. It was later followed by the 4th TFW based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina in January of 1967. A total of 793 F-4Ds were built for the USAF.

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Arch Area

From the spring of 1967, the F-4D gradually began to replace the earlier F-4C in combat in Vietnam. It initially appeared over Vietnam with the 8th TFW, commanded by Lt.Col. Robin Olds. The first F-4D MiG "kill" took place on June 5, 1967, when crewmen Maj. Everett T. Raspberry and Capt. Francis Gullick shot down a MiG-17 near Hanoi. The F-4D eventually destroyed 45 enemy aircraft, and the USAF's 3 Vietnam-era aces got their fifth kills in F-4Ds during the Linebacker campaign of 1972. Captain Steve Ritchie of the 432nd TFW got his fifth kill in F-4D number 66-0167 on August 18, 1972.

The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-152(V)-2 Pave Spike laser target designator was fitted to several F-4Ds. The cylindrical Pave Spike laser designator pod was mounted inside one of the Sparrow missile wells on the fuselage underside. The system used television optics, which made it daylight-capable only. Those Pave Spike aircraft which had the capability of launching the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile included 66-7509, 7531, 7546, 7634, 7661, 7722, 7746, 8819, and 8821.

The AN/AVQ-10 Pave Knife laser target designator could be carried on the inboard underwing pylon of specially modified F-4Ds. This pod had a stabilized head housing a bore-sighted TV camera and laser designator. It had a low-light television system, which made nighttime missions theoretically possible, although it is not certain that this was ever done. Attempts were made to slave the pod's optics to the aircraft radar, but these were not successful. The system operated by having the pod look in the same direction as the pilot's bomb sight, with the weapons system officer then finding the target on his monitor screen as the pilot pointed his aircraft at it. Pave Knife aircraft included 66-7652, 7674, 7675, 7679, 7681, 7707, 7709, 7743, 7760, 7766, and 7773. Combat missions with the Pave Knife began on May 23, 1968, initially in conjunction with the GBU-10/B laser-guided bomb. All Pave Knife aircraft were assigned to the 433rd TFS of the 8th TFW. Perhaps the most spectacular use of the Pave Knife was the dropping of a span of the Paul Doumer Bridge near Hanoi on May 10, 1972. This bridge had survived literally hundreds of previous attacks.

Two F-4Ds (66-8738 and 66-8812 were fitted with the AVQ-11 Pave Sword precision attack sensor. This consisted of a modified AIM-9 Sidewinder seeker head as a laser spot tracker for targets designated by AVQ-12 Pave Spot laser designators carried by O-2As. The system was mounted inside a modified SUU-11 gun-pod that was suspended from the right-forward Sparrow well or from the right inboard underwing pylon.

F-4D number 66-8700 received the Pave Fire system mounted in a centerline pod. This system was supposed to use low-light level television and laser ranging equipment to perform dive-toss bombing missions at night. In such an mission, the attacking aircraft was supposed to dive on the target from a medium altitude, acquire and designate the target, then pull up before releasing its "dumb" bombs. However, the designation of the target was found to be more tricky than expected, and the Pave Fire system was never very successful, and only one Phantom was so modified.

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F-4Ds taxiing

The AVQ-9 Pave Light laser designator was fitted to 65-0597, 0609, 0612, 0642, 0677, 0706, 0786, and 66-8814, 8815, 8817, and 8823. This designator was mounted on the left side of the rear canopy frame of the F-4D. In order to use the system, the pilot had to fly in a left turn around the target and shine the laser while other aircraft attacked it. If an emergency escape proved to be necessary, the WSO first had to demount and store the designator before he could safely eject. Aircraft fitted with the Pave Light system were assigned to the 8th TFW.

AN/ARN-92 LORAN-D equipment was fitted to Pave Phantom F-4Ds. They could be identified by a rather prominent "towel-rail" antenna on the upper rear fuselage behind the rear cockpit. A total of 72 aircraft from blocks 32 and 33 were so equipped. In Vietnam, the primary mission of these Pave Phantom F-4Ds was the seeding of the Ho Chi Minh trail with sensors, which required the precise nighttime navigational capability provided by LORAN. The primary operators of the "towel-rail" F-4Ds were the 25th and 497th TFS of the 8th TFW and the 555th TFS of the 432nd TFW. Subsequently, these planes were passed along to the 457th TFS of the 301st TFW, the 23rd TFS of the 52nd TFW, and the 704th TFS of the 924th TFG. The Combat Tree modification of 1968-69 permitted the retention of a full missile load while carrying electronic countermeasures gear. It did this by adding an attachment point for a countermeasures pod on the inboard pylon, which could now carry two more AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles on each side.

Under the Pave Arrow program, two F-4Ds were equipped with a Sidewinder infrared seeker mounted in a fixed pod for locating heat sources from ground targets.

The designation EF-4D was given to four F-4Ds modified for the Wild Weasel IV/V SAM suppression role. 65-0657 and 65-0660 were fitted with the AN/APS-107 radar homing and warning system and a target acquisition system for AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles. 66-7635 and 66-7647 served as test beds for the AN/APS-38 warning and attack system developed by McDonnell Douglas and later adopted for the F-4G.

The F-4D served with the following Air Force Tactical Fighter Wings: 3rd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 18th, 33rd, 35th, 36th, 48th, 49th, 50th, 52nd, 56th, 57th, 81st, 354th, 366th, 388th, 401st, 405th, 432nd, 474th, 475th and 479th.

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Two Phantoms

As part of the Shah's ambition to turn Iran into a major world power, the Nirou Havai Shahanshahiye Iran (Imperial Iranian Air Force) placed a order for 16 F-4Ds in 1967. A second batch of 16 more F-4Ds was later ordered. The first F-4Ds arrived in Iran on September 8, 1968, with a total of 32 F-4Ds being ultimately delivered to the Imperial Iranian Air Force. They were later supplemented by large batches of F-4Es and RF-4Es, which made Iran the third-largest operator of the Phantom after the USA and Israel. Iranian F-4Ds were used in unsuccessful attempts to intercept Soviet MiG-25s that were spying on Iran. Their first combat use was in 1975 when Iran provided assistance to the Sultan of Oman in action against rebels. One of these was lost to ground fire. With the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 by the Islamic fundamentalist revolution, the shipment of spare parts for Iranian Phantoms was embargoed, and many planes had to be cannibalized to keep others flying. However, some spare parts have managed to sneak into Iran from Israel and from some NATO countries. When Iraq attacked Iran in September of 1980, only 40 percent of the Iranian Phantom force was operational due to a shortage of replacement parts.

In 1968, the Republic of Korea, having gotten rather nervous about border clashes with North Korea, ordered an initial batch of 18 F-4Ds. This order was filled using aircraft drawn from from existing USAF stocks rather than by new construction. The first four F-4Ds arrived in Korea in August of 1969. Eventually, at least 42 ex-USAF F-4Ds were transferred to South Korea, the last being delivered in 1988.

In the early 1980s, F-4Ds began to reach Air Force Reserve units. The units obtaining the F-4D included:

89th TFS, 906th TFG
93rd TFS, 482nd TFW
457th TFS, 301st TFW
465th TFS, 507th TFG
704th TFS, 924th TFG

By the late 1980s, most of the AF Reserve units had exchanged their F-4Ds for F-16A/Bs. The last AF Reserve unit to use the F-4D, the 482nd TFW, converted to F-16A/Bs in November of 1989.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, ex-USAF F-4Ds began to reach the Air National Guard. The first ANG unit to operate the F-4D was the 178th FIS of the 119th FIG of the North Dakota ANG, which got its planes in March of 1977. ANG F-4Ds served both in the tactical fighter role and in the interceptor role. The following ANG units are known to have operated the F-4D:

111th FIS, 147th FIG, Texas ANG
121st FIS, 113th TFW, District of Columbia ANG
127th FIS, 184th TFG, Kansas ANG
128th FIS, 116th TFG, Georgia ANG
134th FIS, 158th TFG, Vermont ANG
136th FIS, 107th FIG, New York ANG
141th TFS, 108th TFW, New Jersey ANG
160th TFS, 187th TFG, Alabama ANG
170th TFS, 18erd TFG, Illinois ANG
171st FIS, 191st FIG, Michigan ANG
177th TFTS, 184th TFG, Kansas ANG
178th FIS, 119th FIG, North Dakota ANG
179th FIS, 148th FG, Minnesota ANG
194th FIS, 144th FIW, California ANG

During the early 1990s, the F-4Ds in the ANG were all withdrawn from service and have been replaced by F-16s. By 1992, the last F-4Ds had been withdrawn from the fighter interceptor groups of the Air National Guard.

No F-4Ds remain in service with any unit of the USAF or the Air National Guard. However, numerous F-4Ds remain flying with the Republic of Korea Air Force. It is uncertain how many F-4Ds remain in service in Iran, but probably most are by now grounded due to the lack of spare parts and are no longer serviceable.
F-4D serials:

64-0929/0937 McDonnell F-4D-24-MC Phantom
64-0938/0963 McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
64-0964/0980 McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
65-0580/0611 McDonnell F-4D-26-MC Phantom
65-0612/0665 McDonnell F-4D-27-MC Phantom
65-0666/0770 McDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom
65-0771/0801 McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
66-0226/0283 McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
66-7455/7504 McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
66-7505/7650 McDonnell F-4D-30-MC Phantom
66-7651/7774 McDonnell F-4D-31-MC Phantom
66-8685/8698 McDonnell F-4D-31-MC Phantom
66-8699/8786 McDonnell F-4D-32-MC Phantom
66-8787/8825 McDonnell F-4D-33-MC Phantom
67-14869/14876 McDonnell F-4D-35-MC Phantom (for Iranian AF)
67-14877/14884 McDonnell F-4D-36-MC Phantom (for Iranian AF)
68-6904/6911 McDonnell F-4D-37-MC Phantom (for Iranian AF)
68-6912/6919 McDonnell F-4D-38-MC Phantom (for Iranian AF)
 

Click on Picture to enlarge

F4 Smokers

Specification of the F-4D:
Two General Electric J79-GE-15 turbojets, 10,300 lb.s.t dry, 17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed 1432 mph at 42,000 feet (Mach 2.17), 826 mph at sea level (Mach 1.08). Cruising speed 587 mph. Landing speed 165 mph. Inital climb rate 40,100 feet per minute. Service ceiling 55,850 feet. Combat range 502 miles, maximum range 1844 miles with maximum external fuel. 28,958 pounds empty, 51,577 pounds gross, 38,781 pounds combat weight, 59,380 pounds maximum takeoff weight. Wingspan 38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 58 feet 3 3/4 inches, height 16 feet 3 inches. Maximum internal fuel in the fuselage tanks was 1260 gallons. An additional 630 gallons of fuel could be carried in internal tanks inside the wings. Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in a centerline tank that could be carried underneath the fuselage plus 370 US gallons in each of two tanks that could be carried underneath the outer underwing pylons, bringing total fuel load to 3230 US gallons. Armament consisted of four AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi-recessed slots in the fuselage belly, plus two to four AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons. A total offensive load of up to 16,000 pounds could be carried on the centerline and four underwing hardpoints.

 

 

The F-4E  Cannon-Armed Phantom

During the initial design of the Phantom, several proposals had been considered for a cannon-armed version. In fact, the original F3H-E proposal was designed around a quartet of 20-mm cannon. However the philosophy of the day was that the air-to-air missile was the wave of the future and that the internal gun was an obsolete holdover from an bygone era. Consequently, all Phantoms to reach production had been armed exclusively with missiles.

However, the all-missile fighter had shown some serious drawbacks in the initial air-to-air battles over Vietnam. The earlier Sparrow, Falcon, and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles did not perform up to expectations. They were expensive, unreliable, and vulnerable to countermeasures. Many an enemy MiG was able to escape unscathed because a Phantom-launched missile malfunctioned and missed its target. The Phantoms could carry a podded cannon mounted on the centerline, but it was relatively inaccurate, caused excessive drag which reduced the performance of the Phantom carrying it, and took up a valuable ordinance/fuel station.

An initial F-4 variant with an internal M61 cannon had been proposed by McDonnell to the USAF in March of 1961, but had met with little enthusiasm. McDonnell began a new design study for a gun-armed Phantom in late 1964 and finally got the attention of the Air Force. The gun-armed F-4E was finally funded in June of 1965. It was destined to be produced in greater numbers than any other single Phantom variant.

The main difficulty in equipping the Phantom with an internal cannon was in finding a place to put it. The solution was found in using the sharper, longer nose of the F-4C reconnaissance version. The new nose was fitted with an AN/APG-30 radar set and an external pod was mounted underneath the nose that could carry a single six-barrel 20-mm General Electric M61A1 rotary cannon.

The first YRF-4C (62-12200) was modified to test this new arrangement. A lead computing gun-sight was cannibalized from an Air National Guard F-100D. Flight test instrumentation was carried in a centerline pod. Temporarily re-designated YF-4E, the modified aircraft first flew on August 7, 1965.

After 50 flights, the first YF-4E was re-engined with J79-GE-J1B engines (prototypes of the -10 and -17 series). The results with the YF-4E were sufficiently encouraging that two other YF-4Es were produced by modifying an F-4C (63-7445) and an F-4D (65-0713). These planes had the definitive nose-mounted cannon installation. The second YF-4E had the gun and no radar, but the third had both the gun and the radar. Both aircraft were powered by the J79-GE-J1B engines, but both were later re-engined with the definitive J79-GE-17 power-plant, which required new mounts and additional titanium sheeting in the engine bays to accommodate the higher temperatures.

The severe space constraints in the new nose meant that a new ammunition feed system had to be designed for the M61A1 cannon. In addition, the proximity of the gun to the radar set required that very effective vibration dampers and noise/blast eliminators had to be designed.

An initial batch of 96 F-4Es was ordered in August 1966 as part of an F-4D contract. The first production F-4E (serial number 66-0284) flew on June 30, 1967, R. D. Hunt and Wayne Wight being the crewmembers.

The gun installation underneath the nose precluded the installation of the large radar set that was fitted to the F-4C and F-4D, so the F-4E carried the solid-state Westinghouse AN/APQ-120 X-band radar set which had a smaller antenna. However, due to the late delivery of the AN/APQ-120 radar, the first 30 F-4Es were delivered without any radar at all. Most were fitted with the new radar when it eventually became available.

The AN/APQ-120 was to have been provided with a Hughes-developed coherent on-receive Doppler system (CORDS), which it was hoped would make it easier to detect low-flying aircraft up against ground clutter. However, this system proved to be so erratic that the initial deployment was slipped from the 35th F-4E to the 120th. Continued problems caused CORDS to be be cancelled on January 2, 1968.

The F-4E was to have been fitted with the AN/APS-107 radar homing and warning system, but this equipment performed unsatisfactorily and the first 67 F-4Es were delivered without any RHAW at all.

The weight of the gun and its 639-round ammunition drum was counterbalanced by fitting an additional 95-gallon fuel tank in the rear fuselage, bringing total internal fuel capacity to 1993 gallons. One of the two fin-mounted pitots (the upper one) was relocated to the extreme nose. The F-4E retained the semi-recessed AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles and the external store stations of the earlier variants. The engines were a pair of J79-GE-17 engines with an afterburning thrust of 17,900 pounds. In the interest of eliminating excess weight, the powered folding wing mechanism of the earlier USAF Phantoms was finally eliminated. Also deleted was the emergency ram-air turbine what sat inside a recess on the upper rear fuselage.

The second production F-4E (66-0285) flew for the first time on September 11, 1967. It differed from 66-0285 by having a slotted stabilator. This slotted stabilator was added in order to give greater tail-plane effectiveness, helping to counteract the increased weight in the nose. The second production F-4E also introduced the long "turkey feather" afterburner, which became a trademark of the F-4E. As the first fully aerodynamic representative F-4E, 66-0285 was earmarked for spin testing. The third F-4E (66-0286) was delivered to Nellis AFB in Nevada on October 2, 1967 for service testing. At Block 31, a stall warning system was added.

It turned out that the elimination of the emergency ram-air turbine was a mistake, and some sort of emergency power source was needed in case of engine failure. Consequently, starting with Block 40 (68-0452), an auxiliary power unit was added underneath the stabilator.

Starting with Block 41 (68-0495 and beyond), the fuselage bladders were replaced by self-sealing fuel tanks. This reduced internal fuselage fuel capacity from 1364 to 1225 US gallons.

Starting with Block 42, the more advanced AN/APR-36/37 radar and homing warning system was fitted. This was a more comprehensive set than the troublesome APS-107, and was served by four flat, circular, spiral receiving antenna, one on each side of the extreme end of the rear fuselage facing aft and one at the front of each wingtip facing forward.

At block 48 (72-0237), the main wing-box was given thicker lower skins, with the steel reinforcing strap previously required being deleted. A Northrop-designed ASX-1 target identification system, electro-optical (TISEO) target acquisition and tracking sensor was added in a pod carried on the inner left wing leading edge. The ASN-63 inertial navigation system, the ASQ-91 weapons release computer, and the ASN-46A analog navigation computer set were deleted. The ASG-26 lead computing optical gunsight was improved and made easier to use, with weapons control switches and displays made easier to read. The most significant change at 71-0237 was the replacement of the blown leading-edge wing droops of earlier Phantoms by slats. This was done in the interest of obtaining enhanced combat maneuverability, which had been one of the Phantom's weak points. The outer leading edge slats were were driven by a hydraulic jack and terminated in a large "dogtooth" at the inboard end where the wing folding joint had once been. Immediately downstream of the dogtooth edge was a small wing fence. The inboard wing was also fitted with powered slats which terminated about three feet from the root. The inner 3 feet of the leading edge were fixed.

The first production F-4E to be fitted with slats was 71-0237, but the first to actually fly with slats was 71-0238 which made its maiden flight on February 11, 1972. The addition of these slats greatly enhanced the maneuvering performance, and the USAF decided to retrofit earlier F-4Es with these slats. The USAF ordered the first slat modification kits in April of 1972, and the first retrofitted F-4E (serial number 69-7524) flew on September 28, 1972. 304 earlier production block F-4Es were retrofitted with these slats, which included just about every surviving F-4E except for those serving with the Thunderbirds.

Beginning with Block 54, high-performance antenna and coaxial cables were added, and on Block 56, the AN/APR-36/37 system was replaced by the Itek AN/ALR-46 RHAWS with fast digital processing capability and a cockpit display plus automatic control of jamming assets. It had a programmable processor which could respond to new threats as they came along. At about the same time, all F-4Es were wired to be able to take two electronic jammer pods (which were usually the Westinghouse ALQ-131) and were fitted with an AN/APX-80 IFF transponder and were given the capability of carrying an optional removable strike camera in the left front Sparrow slot.

Blocks 53 and beyond introduced the Mk III anti-skid brake system, a gunsight camera, the capability to launch the Maverick air-to-surface missile, and the J79-GE-17C or -17E with a low-smoke combustor. Earlier Phantoms had the annoying habit of leaving a trail of black smoke behind them, making them easier to spot by enemy gunners on the ground.

At about the same time, the gun installation underwent a major design. From the beginning, the sheer power of the muzzle blast and the highly-explosive gun gases had created severe problems for the design team. With the original gun muzzle design, the F-4E often experienced engine flameout problems caused by ingestion of gun gases into the engine intakes. In addition, the shape of the muzzle often produced a loud whistle which could be heard on the ground long before the approaching aircraft actually appeared. These problems were eventually cured by adding a long blast diffuser to each of the six barrels, joined to the barrel by a stripper diffuser which ejected most of the gun gas sideways and also decelerated and cooled the blast. A ram inlet was fitted above the forward fuselage to blast fresh air through the gun compartments. This inlet opened during gun firing and remained open for 30 seconds after the gun stopped firing. In addition, a "de-enrichment system" was added which was triggered by the gun-firing circuit and enabled either engine to dump gas-enriched air overboard before it could enter the engine compressor and cause stalls or flameouts. These modifications came to be known as the "Midas 4". These modifications were introduced from Block 48 onward and were retrofitted to earlier blocks. Externally, the modified Midas 4 update could be recognized by a distinct projection protruding out in front of the gun compartment which extended forward underneath the radome.

The AVQ-23A/B Pave Spike laser target designator and rangefinder system was fitted to several later F-4Es and was retrofitted to some earlier F-4Es. Also retrofitted was the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack infrared/laser target designator, as well as the previously-mentioned AN/ASX-1 electro-optical target identification system. 180 F-4Es were retrofitted with the Lear Siegler AN/ARN-101(V) digital navigational/attack system starting in the autumn of 1977. Aircraft carrying this system could be distinguished by the presence of a "doghouse" antenna and blade antennae on the fuselage spine.

The AVQ-26 Pave Tack pod was the first laser designation system designed to provide the capability of autonomous delivery of laser guided bombs at night. It was originally planned to equip 180 F-4Es with this system, but because of delays and development problems the actual number equipped was substantially lower. The pod was too large to be fully compatible with the F-4E, and it had to be carried on the centerline station, replacing the 600-gallon external fuel tank and taking up valuable bomb-carriage space.

The F-4E stayed in production for twelve years, and was built for more air forces and in larger numbers than any other Phantom variant. A total of 1387 F-4Es were built before production came to an end. 993 of these machines were intended for the USAF, with the remaining 394 being delivered new to foreign customers. 24 USAF F-4Es were taken from store and loaned to foreign customers, and 191 were passed on to foreign customers from USAF stocks. The last F-4E (an F-4E intended for Korea) left the production line at McDonnell on October 25, 1979. This brought domestic production of the Phantom to an end.

993 F-4Es were built for the USAF. Included in this total are 10 F-4E-63-MCs purchased by Germany for use in a joint US/German training program at George AFB in California, plus 58 "payback" F-4E-60-MC to 62-MCs acquired as replacements for aircraft that were hastily transferred by the USAF to Israel during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. The USAF's Thunderbirds flight demonstration team re-equipped with the F-4E in June of 1969. The machines that it received were modified early production F-4Es, and were among the few not to be retrofitted with maneuvering slats. The planes were stripped of their guns and APQ-120 radar, which were replaced by storage bins and ballast. Gun vents were faired over and a strip navigation antenna was provided, along with glide-scope and VHF. Four dummy Sparrow missile shapes were installed in the under-fuselage slots, these dummy missiles serving as oil and dye tanks. These F-4Es served with the Thunderbirds until 1974, when the energy crunch that took place as an aftermath of the Yom Kippur War caused them to be replaced by the more fuel efficient Northrop T-38 Talon two-seat trainer.

The first F-4Es reached the Southeast Asia theatre in November of 1968, equipping the 469th TFS at Korat in Thailand. Six more F-4E squadrons deployed to Vietnam and Thailand in 1972 in response to the North Vietnamese invasion of the South in the spring of 1972.

The F-4E was credited with 21 MiG kills during the war. 10 of these were brought down by Sparrows, five with gunfire, four with Sidewinders, one with a combination of Sidewinder and gunfire, and one while maneuvering (no weapons being fired). However, most combat missions flown in Vietnam by the F-4E were ground-attack missions.

Beginning in 1975, 116 F-4E-42-MC through -45-MCs were converted to F-4G Wild Weasel defense suppression aircraft. These will be discussed in a later article.

The F-4E began be supplanted in USAF frontline units by the newer F-15 starting in 1975 and by the F-16 starting in 1979. With the USAF in Europe, the last F-4Es were with the 52nd TFW at Spangdahlem in Germany which re-equipped with F-16s in 1978. The last two F-4E squadrons in the Pacific theatre were converted to F-16C/Ds in 1989. The TAC kept its F-4Es a bit longer, not relinquishing its machines until the early 1990s.

The 334th TFS/4th TFW based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina was the last active duty USAF unit to give up its Phantom fighters, trading in its F-4Es for F-15E Strike Eagles on December 28, 1990.

The following Air Force units operated the F-4E:

1st TFW
3rd TFW
4th TFW
15th TFW
21st TFW
31st TFW
32nd TFS
33rd TFW
35th TFW
36th TFW
37th TFW
49th TFW
50th TFW
51st FIW
52nd TFW
54th TFW
56th TFW
57th Fighter Weapons Wing
56th FIS
86th TFW
347th TFW
354th TFW
366th TFW
388th TFW
405th FW
432nd TFW
3274th Test Squadron
4485th Test Squadron
4425th Fighter Weapons Wing
4531th TFW

By the time of Desert Storm in January 1991, all F-4Es had been withdrawn from active duty USAF units, having been passed along to foreign customers or placed in storage. Nevertheless, a handful of Pave Tack capable F-4Es flew with the 7440th Composite Wing based at Incirlik AFB in Turkey, operating against targets in northwestern Iraq.

Two Air Force Reserve squadrons received F-4Es. These were the 457th TFS of the 201th TFW, which received F-4Es in 1987, and the 704th TFS of the 924th TFG, receiving F-4Es in 1989. Both of these squadrons traded in their F-4Es for F-16A/B fighters in 1991.

F-4Es began to reach the Air National Guard in 1985, the aircraft having been former USAF planes which had been removed from active service. The following ANG squadrons were equipped with F-4Es:

110th TFS, 131st TFW, Missouri ANG
113th TFS, 181st TFG, Indiana ANG
141st TFS, 108th TFW, New Jersey ANG
163rd TFS, 122nd TFW, Indiana ANG
196th TFS, 163rd TFG, California ANG

Service of the F-4E with the ANG was relatively brief, the type beginning to be supplanted by later equipment in 1990. The last F-4E left Guard service in 1991, when the 113th TFS of the Missouri ANG converted to F-16C/D fighters. This outfit was the last ANG squadron to operate F-4 fighters of any type, although a few RF-4C reconnaissance aircraft and F-4G SAM suppression aircraft do remain currently flying with other ANG units.

394 F-4Es were built new for export customers (including 86 F-4Es for Israel which were funded by the United States under Foreign Military Sales contracts and given USAF serial numbers for contractual purposes). This made the F-4E the most widely exported version of the Phantom. The export F-4Es were "de-nuclearized"--that is, they were delivered without the capability of arming or delivering "special stores" (i.e., nuclear weapons). In addition, substantial numbers of ex-USAF F-4Es were transferred to foreign air forces following their withdrawal from front-line service.

The Turk Hava Kuvvetleri of Turkey ordered 40 F-4Es from McDonnell in fiscal year 1973 as part of its commitment to NATO. 32 more were ordered in fiscal year 1977. All of these aircraft were assigned USAF serial numbers for contractual purposes, although they never actually flew in USAF markings. As "payment" for its support during Desert Storm, Turkey received 40 F-4Es drown from the 110th TFS, the 141st TFS, the 457th TFS, and the 35th Fighter Wing. Some were delivered equipped with Pave Spike. Turkey remains a major user of the Phantom.

The Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia (Royal Hellenic Air Force) of Greece ordered its first F-4Es in 1971. 46 of these were new builds ordered directly from McDonnell, but additional F-4Es were acquired from ex-USAF stocks. Like Turkey, Greece remains a major Phantom user.

The Republic of Korea Air Force ordered 37 F-4Es from McDonnell, receiving the first examples in 1978. The last of these, 78-0744, was the the 5068th and last Phantom to be built in the USA. The US offered 24 surplus F-4Es in 1988 and 30 in 1989, but probably only the latter batch was actually delivered. Some Korean F-4Es are equipped to carry the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack laser designator pod. The ROK Air Force's Phantoms could be in action once again if the Korean situation heats up.

The Shah of Iran had ambitious plans of making his country the dominant military power in the Persian Gulf region. In pursuit of this aim, his government ordered 208 F-4Es from McDonnell. A total of 177 F-4Es were delivered to the Imperial Iranian Air Force before the Shah fled and the Islamic fundamentalist revolution took over the country. The new Islamic Republic of Iran immediately began to assume an anti-Western stance, and the US government placed an embargo on further arms deliveries to Iran on February 28, 1979, and the remaining 31 F-4Es on the contract were never delivered. The embargo caused a severe spare parts and maintenance problem, and when Iraq attacked Iran in September of 1980, only 40 percent of the Iranian Phantom fleet was operational. Losses during the first 9 months of the war were estimated to be 60 Phantoms, with many more being out of action due to cannibalization. Exactly how many F-4Es remain flying in Iran is uncertain.

Israel had always been interested in acquiring the Phantom for the IDF/AF, but its early overtures had always been rebuffed. However, an embargo imposed by France against arms deliveries to Israel and the increasing flow of Soviet-block arms to Israel's Arab neighbors led US authorities to change their minds. The sale of F-4Es to Israel was first approved in principle by President Lyndon Johnson on January 7, 1968. This approval led to much controversy, and proposed Phantom deliveries to Israel played a role in the political campaigns that took place in the USA during the spring and summer of 1968. In fact, Robert Kennedy's statement of support for the Phantom delivery to Israel may have played a role in his assassination. The IDF/AF finally received its first Phantoms in September of 1969. The Israeli Phantoms were almost immediately to see action, and played a major role in the "War of Attrition" with Egypt that took place between 1969 and 1971. The Phantom played a key role in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, and losses to Egyptian and Syrian ground-based SAMs were quite heavy. The heavy rate of Phantom losses led to an emergency transfer in October of 1973 of between 36 and 40 USAF F-4Es to Israel in Operation Nickel Grass. Many of these planes were combat veterans from Vietnam and they were immediately sent to the front. A further 48 Phantoms were delivered to Israel between 1974 and 1976.

Israel received a total of approximately 220 F-4E Phantoms (the exact number is uncertain) between 1969 and 1976. Israeli F-4Es have been subjected to numerous field modifications to improve their operational capability. Among these were the fitting of a non-retractable re-fuelling probe, provision for carrying the Shafrir and Python air-to-air missiles and the Gabriel air-to-surface missile, the replacement of the 20-mm M61A1 cannon by a pair of 30-mm DEFA cannon, and the installation of a FLIR sensor. A total of 116 air-to-air combat victories have been claimed by Israeli F-4Es in various conflicts, ranging from the 1969 War of Attrition to the 1982 incursion into Lebanon. There have been at least 55 combat losses that the IDF/AF has admitted to, in addition to normal peacetime attrition. By the time of the 1982 Lebanon incursion, the F-4E had been largely supplanted in the fighter role by F-15s and F-16s, and had been relegated to attack. However, some 120 Israeli Phantoms are still in service. Following the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel, Egypt has received some 36 ex-USAF F-4Es. Many Egyptian pilots who had flown MiG-21s transitioned to their erstwhile opponent. The Egyptian pilots had a difficult time adapting to the Phantom, and Egypt had for a while seriously considered disposing of its Phantoms and selling them to Turkey. In the end, Egypt decided to keep its Phantoms.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operated 24 F-4Es which were delivered as temporary substitutes for the General Dynamics F-111C, which had been ordered by Australia but had been delayed by a series of technical problems. The first examples arrived in Australia in September of 1970, and the last Australian F-4E was returned to the USA in June 1973, at which time deliveries of F-111Cs to the RAAF began to get under way.

Following the completion of its test program, the first YF-4E (62-12200) was selected for use as a fly-by-wire control system test-bed. Known as the Precision Aircraft Control Technology (PACT) demonstrator, it made its first flight on April 29, 1972. It made its first all-FBW flight on January 22, 1973. It was later rebuilt for Control Configured Vehicle (CCV) research with large canard tail-planes mounted on the upper edges of the air intakes. It made its first flight in the new configuration on April 29, 1974. Lead ballast was added to the rear fuselage to move the center of gravity aft and to destabilize the aircraft in pitch. On December 5, 1978, it was donated to the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, where it is now on display.

Specification of the F-4E Phantom:
Two General Electric J79-GE-17 turbojets, 11,870 lb.s.t dry, 17,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed 1430 mph at 36,000 feet (Mach 2.21), 914 mph at sea level (Mach 1.19). Cruising speed 585 mph. Landing speed 158 mph. Initial climb rate 61,400 feet per minute. Service ceiling 62,250 feet. Combat ceiling 59,600 feet. Combat range 595 miles, maximum range 1885 miles with maximum external fuel. 29,535 pounds empty, 40,562 pounds gross, 38,019 pounds combat weight, 61,651 pounds maximum takeoff weight. Wingspan 38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 63 feet 0 inches, height 16 feet 6 inches. Maximum internal fuel in the fuselage tanks was 1364 US gallons (up to block 40) or 1225 US gallons (block 41 and beyond). An additional 630 gallons of fuel could be carried in internal tanks inside the wings. Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in a centerline tank that could be carried underneath the fuselage plus 370 US gallons in each of two tanks that could be carried underneath the outer underwing pylons, bringing total fuel load to 3334 US gallons (up to block 40) or 3195 US gallons (block 41 and beyond). Armament consisted of a single 20-mm M61A1 cannon with 639 rounds in an under-nose gondola, plus four AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi-recessed slots in the fuselage belly and two to four AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons. A total offensive load of up to 16,000 pounds could be carried on the centerline and four underwing hardpoints.
 

 

The F-4G Wild Weasel

 

The F-4G was the designation applied to 116 USAF F-4Es which were converted to the Wild Weasel anti-SAM configuration. These aircraft should not be confused with the Navy F-4G which was the designation applied to twelve F-4Bs that were fitted with automatic carrier landing systems. Throughout the late 1960s, the Wild Weasel III adaptation of the F-105F two-seat Thunderchief had been the primary anti-SAM attack aircraft in Vietnam. However, by 1970 the F-105 airframe was no longer in production, and attrition in Vietnam had made it a scarce resource. The need for a replacement for the F-105F Wild Weasel had become apparent. 36 F-4C airframes had been converted to the EF-4C Wild Weasel IV configuration, but they suffered from certain deficiencies which limited their combat effectiveness. For example, they were unable to carry the Standard ARM. Consequently, the EF-4C was seen only as an interim Wild Weasel aircraft, pending the introduction of a more suitable type.

In search of a more lasting solution, the F-4E airframe was selected as a platform for the more advanced Wild Weasel V aircraft. Several EF-4Ds and F-4Es were used in support of the program. F-4E number 69-7254 served as the YF-4G prototype, although it was originally known as the F-4E Advanced Wild Weasel. This F-4G was fitted with leading-edge maneuvering slats. The M61A1 cannon and ammunition drum were removed and replaced by an under-nose fairing that housed forward- and side-looking radar antenna and line replacement units for the AN/APR-38 radar warning and attack system. This system can be reprogrammed at squadron level, and can identify known enemy air-defense radar systems and display their locations in a predetermined order of priority. The under-nose fairing has a ram inlet that admits cooling air to the interior, which helps to cool-the avionics systems inside the nose.

There are a total of 52 receiving and emitting antenna found all over the aircraft. The main receivers are housed in front of the chin gondola that replaced the gun, with others being housed in a pod mounted on top of the fin. Eight of the blade antennas that protrude from the fuselage provide low-band omni-directional signal reception, with five others being directional and capable of giving the threat bearing on the display in the rear cockpit.

The main radar of the F-4G was the same Westinghouse AN/APQ-120 that was fitted to the F-4E. A new digital processor was added.

Boxes for dispensing chaff or flare cartages can be attached to the sides of the underwing pylons. The usual pattern is the Tracor ALE-40, with 30 tubes firing aft.

The backseat crew member has three main displays: a plan-position indicator, a panoramic analysis display, and a homing indicator. The plan-position indicator is duplicated on the pilot's control panel. The plan-position indicator gives the range and bearing of each threat that is identified by the system. The type of each threat is then designated on the display, and the threat deemed by the system to be the most dangerous is identified by having a bright triangle superimposed over it. In support of its mission, the F-4G could carry the AGM-45 Shrike and the AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles. The Texas Instruments AGM-45 Shrike was the first missile specifically designed for the anti-radiation role. It was based in part on the Sparrow air-to-air missile and had more or less the same configuration. It has a launch weight of about 390 pounds and carries a 145 pound explosive warhead. The range is of the order of 18 to 25 miles. The guidance of the Shrike is provided by a monopole crystal video receiver. When the receiver in the missile's nose locks onto a target, the crew fires the missile. After launch, the Shrike flies a ballistic path until the control system is activated. At that time, the receiver onboard the Shrike begins updating the guidance by determining the direction of arrival of the hostile radiation, and the missile then homes onto the enemy radar signal with its cruciform center-body wings. The Shrike first became operational in 1965. In Vietnam, the initial experience with the Shrike was rather disappointing. After some trial and error, the enemy found that he could "spoof" the Shrike by simply turning off his radar set, which would cause the Shrike to lose its lock on the target and run out of control. In addition, the receiver of the Shrike was not able to deal with enemy radars that were frequency-agile; all that the enemy had to do to defeat a Shrike attack was to switch his radar to a different frequency. Many versions of the Shrike were produced in an attempt to correct its deficiencies, but none were very successful.

The General Dynamics AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missile was an attempt to correct some of the deficiencies of the Shrike. It had a longer range and a larger warhead than the Shrike. The AGM-78 was based on the Standard RIM-66A ship-to-air missile. It has a launch weight of about 1400 pounds and carries a 215-pound warhead. Maximum range was about 35 miles. The missile flies on a dual-thrust rocket motor and steers with tail controls and very low-aspect ratio fixed wings. The Standard ARM first appeared in service in 1968. The first version of the Standard had the simple Shrike seeker, but later versions had the Maxson broadband radiation seeker and had memory circuits to deal with radar shutdown tactics.

In addition, the F-4G could carry the AGM-75 Maverick air-to-ground missile which existed in both TV-guided and imaging infrared versions. It could also carry the Mk 84 electro-optical glide bomb, the homing bomb system, and cluster weapons such as the Rockeye, CBU-52, and CBU-58.

In later years, the Texas Instruments AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) superseded most of the former weapons, offering a greatly enhanced kill capability and greater launch versatility. It was designed to provide much higher speeds and much quicker target acquisition times so that radars could be destroyed before they had a chance to be switched off or take other sorts of evasive actions. The HARM has a launch weight af about 800 pounds and has an effective range of about 17 miles. The warhead of the HARM is of a fragmentation variety, which destroys the target by producing a deadly shower of steel cubes. I don't know the weight of the warhead--presumably this is classified information. There are three basic modes of operation for the HARM: Self Protect, Target of Opportunity, and Pre-Briefed. In the Self-Protect mode, the launching aircraft's systems detect the threat and assign its priority. The aircraft's on-board computers then sort the data and pass along to the HARM's computer a set of digital instructions needed to reach the target, and the missile is then launched. The HARM can continue to fly toward the target even if the enemy radar is switched off. In the Target of Opportunity mode, the HARM's sensitive seeker is used to help to determine when to launch against a previously unknown threat. In the Pre-Briefed mode, the HARM can be programmed on the ground for up to three known types of enemy radar emissions. Once in the air, the launching aircraft can fire the HARM blind in the general direction of these known enemy radar emitters. If they are silent, the HARM will self-destruct, but if an enemy site begins to radiate, the HARM will automatically home in on it. Test flights of the HARM began in 1976, and deployment began in early 1983. Earlier versions of the HARM had to be sent back to a depot in the US for reprogramming, but later versions can be reprogrammed on the flight line.

For self-protection, the F-4G could carry up to four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles on the sides of the inboard underwing pylons. In addition, four AIM-7 Sparrows could be carried in the under-fuselage slots. However, the left front slot was often taken up by the installation of a ALQ-119 or ALQ-141 jammer pod.

All of the F-4Gs were rebuilds of Block 42 to 45 F-4Es. The first of these aircraft (69-7254) was modified by McDonnell and began flight trials in December of 1975. Subsequent F-4G aircraft were modified by the Air Force at Hill AFB in Utah. The last modification was completed in 1981.

The first F-4Gs went in April of 1978 to the 35th TFW based at George AFB in California. In 1981, the F-4Gs of the 35th TFW were turned over to the 37th TFW, also based at George. In 1989, the 37th TFW was transferred to Tonopah to take over operations of the F-117, and turned their F-4Gs back to the 35th TFW.

In 1979, F-4Gs were issued to the 52nd TFW based at Spangdahlem AFB in Germany. In the same year, F-4Gs were assigned to the 3rd TFW based at Clark AFB in the Philippines.

Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, the 561st TFS (part of the 35th TFW based at George AFB) deployed to the Middle East as a part of Desert Shield. Twenty-four F-4Gs were deployed. They were configured with three external fuel tanks (one on the centerline and two underneath the outboard underwing pylons), four chaff/flare dispensers, two AGM-88 HARM missiles on the inboard pylons, and three AIM-7M Sparrow missiles and an ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures pod in the four missile slots.

At the time of Desert Storm, the F-4G was still the only Wild Weasel aircraft available to the USAF. The F-4Gs of the 35th TFW played an important part in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, when they cut a path through Iraqi air defenses during the initial attack on January 17. The F-4Gs of the 52nd TFW based at Spangdahlem in Germany were also added to the assets of the 35th TFW based at Sheik Isa AFB in Bahrain and to the 7440th Composite Wing based at Incirlik AFB in Turkey. During the war, only one F-4G was lost. It was 69-7571, which was damaged by enemy AAA on January 18, 1991. It crashed during an attempted emergency landing, but both crew members ejected safely.

Following Desert Storm and the general defense drawdown after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, George AFB was scheduled to be closed and the 35th TFW was deactivated. In the summer of 1991, F-4Gs formerly operated by the 35th TFW were turned over to the Idaho ANG, which continues to operate these planes in the present day (1994). Following the closing of Clark AFB in the Philippines, some of the F-4Gs of the 3rd TFW were reassigned to the 7440th Composite Wing based at Incirlik, whereas others were reassigned to the Idaho ANG. Several others have been placed in storage. The 52nd TFW/81st TFS based at Spangdahlem in Germany returned their last F-4Gs to the USA on March 18, 1994. These planes were the last US-operated Phantoms to be based in Europe.

The F-4G is the only version of the Phantom to remain in front-line service with the USAF. It remains in service with the 52nd TFW, but has been transferred from Germany back to the US. The original plan was to replace the F-4G in favor of a Wild Weasel version of the F-16, but this idea was abandoned in 1992. It now appears that the F-4G in service until 1000, equipping one Air National Guard squadron, and the 21st TFS of the 52nd TFW. The Idaho ANG squadron had replaced the two squadrons of the 35th TFW at George AFB, which deactivated during 1992.

The F-4G was operated by the following squadrons:

USAF:

3rd TFW, 90th TFS
35th TFW
37th TFW (561th TFS, 563rd TFS, 562nd TFTS)
52nd TFW, 81st TFS
4485th Test Squadron
7440th Composite Wing

Air National Guard:

189th TRTF, 124th TRG, Idaho ANG
190th FS, 124th FG, Idaho ANG

Several F-4Gs remain flying with the USAF and with the Idaho ANG. Several others have been retired to storage. Tracor Flight Systems of Austin, Texas reportedly has F-4Gs 69-7261, 69-7301, and 69-7263. They have been stripped of their Wild Weasel equipment and will be converted into remote-controlled drones.

Serials of F-4E aircraft modified as F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft:

69-0236/0243, 69-0245/0248, 69-0250/0255, 69-0257/0259, 69-0261, 69-0263, 69-0265, 69-0267, 69-0269/0275, 69-0277, 69-0279/0281, 69-0283/0286, 69-0292/0293, 69-0297, 69-0304, 69-0306, 69-7201/7202, 69-7204/7220, 69-7223, 69-7228, 69-7231/7136, 69-7251, 69-7253/7254, 69-7256/7260, 69-7262/7263, 69-7270, 69-7272, 69-7286/7291, 69-7293, 69-7295, 69-7298, 69-7300/7303, 79-7546, 69-7550, 69-7556, 69-7558, 69-7560/7561, 69-7566, 69-7651/7572, 69-7574, 69-7579/7584, and 69-7586/7588.

 

 

The F-4J For The US Navy & Marine Corps

 The F-4J was the final version of the Phantom to be placed in production for the US Navy and US Marine Corps. It was designed as the follow-on to the original Navy F-4B, correcting some of the deficiencies which had become apparent in service. There were three YF-4Js, all of them converted from existing F-4B airframes (BuNos 151473, 151496, and 151497). The first YF-4J flew on June 4, 1965. The first production F-4J flew on May 27, 1966.

A total of 522 F-4Js were built for the Navy and Marine Corps between December of 1966 and January of 1972. The F-4J was powered by a pair of J79-GE-10 engines, rated at an afterburning thrust of 17,900 pounds each. These engines were externally distinguishable by their longer afterburner "turkey feathers". Because of the increased weight and the more demanding sink rate requirements, the F-4J was fitted with a beefed-up landing gear with larger main-wheels. In order to accommodate these larger main-wheels, the upper and lower surfaces of the inner wing had to be bulged outward like those on the USAF F-4C. An additional fuel cell was fitted in the rear fuselage to bring internal fuel capacity to 1998 gallons. However, the number 1 fuel cell was slightly reduced in size to accommodate the computer and other electronics.

Even though the Navy wanted better takeoff and landing performance for the Phantom, it nevertheless felt that speed, climb, and range requirements ruled out the use of the high-drag slatted wing that was used by the Air Force on the F-4E. In the pursuit of better takeoff and landing performance, McDonnell decided instead to add a slot to the stabilator leading edge, effectively turning it into a miniature inverted slatted wing. This slotted stabilator provided a tremendous downward force at low speeds, which allowed a large leading edge down deflection without stalling. The effectiveness of the slotted stabilator was markedly improved by locking the inboard leading flap in the up position.

The F-4J introduced 16.5-degree drooped ailerons, which is a fancy way of saying that with gear and flaps down, a downward deflection of 16.5 degrees became the "neutral" aileron deflection.

As a result of all these aerodynamic innovations, the approach speed was reduced from 157 mph to 144mph.

The F-4J was equipped with the AN/AJB-7 bombing system which provided substantially better ground attack capability over that of the F-4B. It had the capability for all-altitude release of nuclear weapons at various angles on a timed basis from the target or offset. In addition, it had the capability of working with the Bullpup air-to-surface missile. The F-4J was also equipped with the AN/AWG-10 fire control system housed in an enlarged radome. This set used an AN/APG-59 pulse-Doppler radar in place of the earlier APQ-72. This new radar was designed to detect and track low-lying aircraft and to distinguish them from sea/ground returns. The F-4J was fitted with the AN/ASW-25 one-way data-link which made automatic carrier landings possible. The infrared search and tracking pod underneath the nose of the F-4B was finally removed.

Other improvements were added during the course of production. From 1969, Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM) was provided. This involved new wiring and the fitting of other items designed to make full use of upgraded Sidewinder missiles. The Visual Target Acquisition System (VTAS) helmet sight was fitted to Blocks 45 and 46 F-4Js, and was later retrofitted to most earlier aircraft. Also retrofitted was the Sanders AN/ALQ-126 electronics countermeasures set with prominent slender fore and aft canoe-shaped fairing antennae mounted on the upper intakes. A hemispheric dielectric antenna was mounted at the leading edge of the canoe. Two more antennae were added below the engine intakes. AN AN/AYK-14 dogfight computer was added, and AN/APX-76 or -89 IFF equipment was also provided. An AN/APR-32 radar warning set was fitted, with antennae mounted in the fin-cap trailing edge and in a box underneath the nose. Reduced smoke J79-GE-10B engines were also retrofitted.

The first F-4J deliveries began on October 1, 1966. VF-101 began re-equipping with the type in December of that year. They rapidly began to replace the earlier F-4B in most operational Navy squadrons.

F-4Js were used extensively in Vietnam during the later stages of Operation Rolling Thunder, which lasted from March 2, 1965 until October 31, 1968. They returned to Vietnam to participate in Operation Linebacker in 1972. On September 11, 1972, Major Thomas Lasseter and Captain John D. Cummings flying F-4J BuNo 155526 of VFMA-333 from the USS America (CV-66) shot down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam, scoring the only Marine air-to-air kill in the Southeast Asia conflict. The F-4J was the last US aircraft in operation in Southeast Asia, with Marine F-4Js of VMFA-232 finally leaving the base at Nam Phong in Thailand in August of 1973.

Seven modified F-4Js were assigned to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team in January 1969. This famous team operated the Phantom until the end of the 1973 season, when the energy crisis caused by the Arab oil embargo forced a switch to Douglas A-4 Skyhawks.

A few F-4Js were modified for use by VAQ-33 in the "electronic aggressor" role with electronic countermeasures pods and jammers carried underneath their wings. When so modified, they were re-designated EF-4J.

In order to bring British home-based defense back to strength after the transfer of the Phantom FGR Mk.2s (F-4Ms) of No. 23 Squadron to RAF Stanley to provide air defense for the Falklands, the RAF obtained 15 low-time F-4Js which had been in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB. The serials of these planes were BuNos 153768, 152773, 153783, 153785, 153795, 153803, 153850, 153809, 155510, 155529, 155574, 155734, 155755, 155868, and 155894. These planes were overhauled and modified before delivery to the RAF. A number of US Navy systems, such as the AN/ASN-54 Approach Power Compensator System, the AN/ASW-25 data-link system, and the AN/ALQ-126 countermeasures set, were removed and replaced by British systems. When delivered to the RAF, these ex-USN F-4Js were designated F-4J(UK) and were assigned the RAF serials ZE350/ZE364. The first three were delivered to the United Kingdom in August of 1984.

The F-4Js began to leave Navy service in the mid-1970s, when the Grumman F-14 Tomcat became available. Many F-4Js were replaced by F-4Ns, which were upgraded F-4Bs. Most surviving F-4Js were placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB as they were retired from service. However, approximately 250 surviving F-4Js were upgraded into F-4S configuration and then returned to service. The F-4S will be described in a later post. By the early 1980s, most Navy F-4Js had either been upgraded to F-4S status or else had been placed in storage. The last unit to operate the un-upgraded F-4J, VF-74, finally exchanged its F-4Js for F-4Ss in 1982.

The F-4J began to leave Marine Corps service in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Many of the surviving Marine Corps F-4Js were upgraded to F-4S status and were returned to service, where they soldiered on into the late 1980s and even the early 1990s.

Specification of the F-4J:

Two General Electric J79-GE-8B/8C/10 turbojets, 11,870 lb.s.t dry, 17,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed 1584 mph at 48,000 feet (Mach 2.4), 875 mph at sea level (Mach 1.15). Initial climb rate 41,250 feet per minute. Service ceiling 70,000 feet. Combat ceiling 54,700 feet. Combat range 596 miles, maximum range 1956 miles with maximum external fuel. 30,770 pounds empty, 46,833 pounds gross, 41,399 pounds combat weight, pounds maximum takeoff weight. Wingspan 38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 58 feet 3 3/4 inches, height 16 feet 3 inches. Maximum internal fuel in the fuselage tanks was 1347 US gallons. An additional 630 gallons of fuel could be carried in internal tanks inside the wings. Maximum external fuel load was 600 US gallons in a centerline tank that could be carried underneath the fuselage plus 370 US gallons in each of two tanks that could be carried underneath the outer underwing pylons, bringing total fuel load to 3317 US gallons. Armament consisted of four AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi-recessed slots in the fuselage belly and two to four AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons. A total offensive load of up to 16,000 pounds could be carried on the centerline and four underwing hardpoints.

F-4N: By 1970, the Navy was beginning to be concerned about the condition of its fleet of F-4Bs, many of which were over ten years old and showing signs of old age and fatigue. In that year, a program named Bee Line was initiated in which F-4Bs were refurbished and modernized. Ultimately, 228 Navy F-4Bs went through the Bee Line program. These refurbished planes were re-designated F-4N.

Aircraft selected for conversion were sent to NAS North Island, California, where they were stripped and inspected. They were then completely rebuilt using new parts. The changes included a structural strengthening to extend the fatigue life, plus a complete rewiring. The electrical generating system was upgraded with 30-kVA constant speed alternators. The F-4N retained the thin wings and tires, the main radar, and the under-nose infrared search and track detector of the F-4B.

The F-4N was fitted with an F-4J-style slotted stabilator which helped solve "Mach tuck" problems when decelerating from supersonic speeds and which reduced approach speeds during landings. All F-4Ns had their inboard leading-edge flaps locked shut.

The F-4N was fitted with Sanders AN/ALQ-126 or -126B deceptive electronic countermeasures equipment. This included long antenna fairings mounted on the sides of the upper air intakes. These long fairings were the distinctive features which enabled F-4Ns to be externally distinguished from F-4Bs. The DECM antennae were in longer fairings than those used by the same equipment on the F-4J because of the difficulty in routing the cables. Radar homing and warning antennae for the ALQ-126 DECM were fitted to the undersides of the intakes and wings (just aft of the undercarriage bays). These were tied into the antennae on the trailing edge (and sometimes on the leading edge as well) of the vertical fin.

Other changes included a helmet sight Visual Target Acquisition System (VTAS) and a Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM). A new dogfight mission computer was provided, together with auto-altitude reporting equipment. APX-76 or APX-80 air-to-air IFF equipment was fitted, plus AN/ASW-25 one-way data-link. The J79-GE-8 engines of the F-4B were retained, although smoke abetment equipment was fitted.

The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972. The first renovated F-4Ns joined the fleet in February of 1973.

The F-4N had a relative short life as an active-duty fighter with Navy carrier-based units, being replaced by the Grumman F-14A Tomcat during the mid- to late 1970s. However, VF-154 flew F-14Ns off the USS Coral Sea until the end of 1983, when they finally traded in their Phantoms for Tomcats. The F-4N soldiered on for a few years longer with Naval and Marine Corps reserve units until being replaced by either the F-4S (a conversion of the F-4J) or by the F/A-18 Hornet during the early 1980s. The last Navy F-4N was retired from VF-201 based at NAS Dallas, Texas in February of 1984. The last Marine Corps unit to fly the F-4N was VFMA-134, which relinquished the type in 1985.

As they left service, many F-4Ns were modified as remotely-controlled drones under the designation QF-4N. The first QF-4N conversion was performed in 1983. As compared to the original Phantom drone, the QF-4B, the QF-4N was much more maneuverable and was intended to simulate the most agile targets. This increased agility was obtained by removing everything from the aircraft that was not absolutely essential to the target mission. The rear cockpit was stripped to make space for the AN/ASA-32 analog autopilot and flight control system. However, the front cockpit remained, so the QF-4N can be flown in the manned mode if needed. I have serial numbers of 78 F-4Ns which were converted into QF-4N drones, but undoubtedly more have been converted since this list was published.

F-4S: F-4S was the designation applied to 265 (some sources say 248) F-4Js which were upgraded in the mid-1970s. This program was analogous to the Bee Line project in which Navy F-4Bs were upgraded to F-4N standards. The major goal of the upgrade was to prolong the life of the F-4J so that it could remain in service until replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet in Marine Corps service and by the F-14 Tomcat in Navy service. Major changes included airframe and undercarriage strengthening. The aircraft were stripped and carefully inspected, and where necessary they received landing gear and wing/fuselage structural improvements. Visible external straps were added to the wing spar to improve the structural integrity. The electrical system was completely rewired, and the hydraulic system was re-plumbed using stainless steel tubing.

In order to improve the maneuverability, two-position wing leading-edge maneuvering slats were fitted to the F-4S, which gave a 50 percent improvement in combat turning capability in comparison with an un-slatted F-4J. These slats operated automatically as a function of angle of attack, but they could be overridden from the cockpit. The slats came in two sections, one on the outboard part of the fixed inner wing and the other on the folding outer wing panel. Because of delays, these slats were not initially fitted to the first 43 F-4Ss, but they were later retrofitted.

The F-4S was fitted with the digital AWG-10B weapons control system with new AN/ARC-159 dual UHF radios and an ARN-118 TACAN (but not to all F-4Ss). The ALQ-126 or 126A deceptive electronic countermeasures set of the F-4J was retained, with the same short intake antennae fairings. One way that the F-4S could be externally distinguished from the earlier F-4N was by the shorter upper intake fairings of the S.

One of the persistent problems with the Phantom was that it tended to leave a rather prominent trail of sooty black smoke behind it, making it more readily visible to an enemy. In order to correct this problem, the F-4S was fitted with smokeless J79-GE-10B engines with low smoke combustors and low-energy ignition. This same engine was also fitted to some F-4Js. Low-voltage formation lights were fitted to the sides of the nose, mid-fuselage, and tailfin, and staggered cooling ports were fitted near the nose-wheel well.

The first F-4S modification (F-4J BuNo 158360) took off on its maiden flight on July 22, 1977. The first F-4S delivered with leading edge slats from the start was 155899, which first appeared in November of 1979.

First to get the F-4S was VMFA-451, which began to receive un-slatted planes in June of 1978.

The first Navy squadron to receive the F-4S was VF-21, based at NAS Miramar in California, which began to receive its planes in December 1979.

By the end of American involvement in the Southeast Asia War, the Phantom was already beginning to be supplemented by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in deployable squadrons aboard the larger carriers. All throughout the remainder of the 1970s and into the early 1980s, the Navy progressively replaced its F-4Ss with later equipment in most deployable carrier-based squadrons. The exceptions were six squadrons which were assigned to the older and smaller USS Midway (CVA-41), Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), and Coral Sea (CVA-43), which were reequipped with F-4Ns and F-4Ss and soldiered on with these planes for a few more years. However, by 1986, all of the Phantoms serving with the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets were gone, the last carrier launch of an F-4S having taken place on March 24, 1986 when F-4Ss from VF-151 and VF-161 were launched from the USS Midway for the last time. No Phantoms served aboard Navy aircraft carriers after that time.

After 1986, F-4Ss served exclusively with shore-based Naval reserve units. However, this service was rather brief. The last F-4S was retired by VF-202 from NAS Dallas on May 14, 1987 (BuNol 155560), becoming the Navy's last tactical Phantom II. VF-202 later reequipped with F-14A Tomcats. By mid-1992, the only Phantoms remaining in Navy service were those assigned to the Naval Air Weapons Center for operations from NAS China Lake and NAS Point Mugu in California.

In the late 1980s, Marine Corps units began to phase out its F-4Ss in favor of F/A-18As. In January of 1992, VMFA-112 retired the last F-4S from the US Sea Service inventory. They completed their transition to the F/A-18A shortly thereafter. This was the last Marine Corps unit to operate the Phantom, and was, incidentally, also the last naval aviation Phantom to serve on active duty, apart from drones.

 

 

The F-4 Phantom With The Air Force

 The largest user of the Phantom was the United States Air Force.

The first production version of the Phantom for the USAF was the F-4C (initially known as the F-110A). However, the first Phantoms to be used by the USAF were actually 27 US Navy F-4Bs that were temporarily loaned to the USAF in November of 1963. These were primarily used for training. They were soon followed by production F-4Cs. The 12th TFW was the first operational user of the F-4C, receiving its first machines in January of 1964, replacing the unit's F-84F Thunderstreaks. The 12th TFW achieved initial operational capability in October of 1964. As the pace of F-4C deliveries quickened, the borrowed F-4Bs were returned to the Navy.

It was to be in the Vietnam War that the Phantom was to gain its reputation. On March 2, 1965, the bombing of North Vietnam began under the code name Operation Rolling Thunder. The F-4C was first deployed to Southeast Asia in April of 1965 when the 15th TFW deployed its 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron to Ubon, Thailand. This squadron was temporarily assigned to the 2nd Air Division. On July 10, 1965, two F-4C crews scored the USAF's first kills of the Vietnam War when they destroyed two MiG-17s over North Vietnam with Sidewinder missiles. The 45th TFS was returned to the 15th TFW in August of 1965, and the first Phantom squadrons sent to Southeast Asia on a permanent basis were the 557th, 558th, and 559th TFSs of the 12th TFW, which arrived at Cam Rahn Bay on November 8, 1965. In time, the F-4C took over the bulk of the heavy fighting over both North and South Vietnam.

On a typical mission over the North, an F-4C would carry four Sparrows, four Sidewinders, and a load of eight 750-pound bombs. At first, the bombs were dropped from medium or high-altitudes, but as SAMs became more dangerous, a shift was made to lower altitudes. Unfortunately, this technique also exposed the aircraft to small-arms fire from the ground. For air-to-air combat, the F-4C relied on Sparrow semi-active radar homing or Sidewinder infrared-homing missiles. The AIM-7D/E Sparrow was carried in the ventral trays. In principle, the Sparrow gave the Phantom a beyond visual range capability at distances of up to 28 miles. However, such launches were very rarely permitted under the terms of the rather restrictive rules of engagement in Vietnam. When used at closer ranges, the Sparrow turned out to be virtually useless against fighter-sized targets, especially at low altitudes. The AIM-9B/D Sidewinder was usually the weapon of choice. The AIM-9D had a range of up to 12 miles, but it was generally effective only in close stern engagements in good weather and at high altitudes. In bad weather or at low altitudes, the results were less impressive, the Sidewinder often losing its lock on its target due to interference from rain or from clouds or having a tendency to lock onto the Sun or onto reflections in lakes or ponds. Ultimately, the Sidewinder scored more aerial victories in the Vietnam War than any other weapon.

On July 24, 1965, F-4C 63-7599 of the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron was downed by a surface to air missile, becoming the first American warplane to be downed by a SAM. SAMs actually claimed only 5.7 percent of all US aircraft shot down in the Vietnam war, but they forced American aircraft down to lower altitudes where ground-based AAA and even small arms fire were much more lethal.

In the first two years of combat in Vietnam, the casualties among the first F-4C squadrons had reached almost 40 percent, for a total of 54 aircraft. Most were lost to AAA, but a few were lost in stall/spin accidents at low altitude. During close-in dogfights, when pulling high-gs or when at steep angles of attack, it was very easy to lose control of an F-4C, especially if it was carrying a centerline store. Recovery from a spin at an altitude below 10,000 feet was essentially impossible, and the only option for survival was generally for the crew to eject.

The F-4C lacked the guns of a complete fighter system, which was found to be a serious deficiency in close-in air-to-air combat. The addition of a SUU-16A gun pod on the under-fuselage centerline compensated for the lack of a gun, but it seriously degraded overall performance and in addition made the aircraft somewhat unstable and difficult to recover from a spin. Early F-4Cs had problems with leaking wing fuel tanks, these problems being so serious that the tanks had to be carefully resealed after each flight. The radar had a tendency to malfunction far too easily, the humid air of Southeast Asia being a persistent problem. Early F-4Cs also had problems with cracked ribs and stringers on the outer wing panels. Later F-4Cs were equipped with a heavier stringer and an additional wing rib. These modifications were retrofitted to earlier F-4Cs. During the Vietnam War, F-4C crews claimed the destruction of 22 MiGs with Sidewinders, 14 with Sparrows, four with gunfire, and two by causing the MiGs to crash while maneuvering.

The RF-4C was the unarmed photographic reconnaissance version of the USAF's F-4C. The armament and radar of the fighter version was removed and replaced with equipment specialized for photographic reconnaissance. The first production RF-4Cs went in September 1964 to the 33rd TRTS, a training unit based at Shaw AFB in South Carolina. The first operational unit to receive the RF-4C was the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the 363rd TRW at Shaw AFB, achieving initial combat-readiness in August of 1965.

As part of the 460th TRW, the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from Shaw AFB, North Carolina was deployed to Tan Sun Nhut in South Vietnam in October of 1965. It became part of the 460th TRW. The second RF-4C squadron in action in Southeast Asia was the 15th TRS, which entered combat in February of 1967. The RF-4C flew day missions over South Vietnam and Laos until 1972. The aircraft posted an impressive record during the most intense years of the war. Heavy ground fire resulted in numerous losses, but considering the total number of missions flown, the loss rate was relatively low. The F-4D was an improved version of the F-4C. The F-4D was ordered in March of 1964, and the first example flew on December 7, 1965. Deliveries began in March of 1966. The first deliveries were to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Bitburg in Germany. It was later followed by the 4th TFW based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina in January of 1967. The F-4D appeared in Southeast Asia for the first time in May of 1967, with the 555th TFS. From the spring of 1967, the F-4D gradually began to replace the earlier F-4C in combat in Vietnam. It initially appeared over Vietnam with the 8th TFW, commanded by Lt.Col. Robin Olds. The first F-4D MiG "kill" took place on June 5, 1967, when crewmen Maj. Everett T. Raspberry and Capt. Francis Gullick shot down a MiG-17 near Hanoi. The F-4D eventually destroyed 45 enemy aircraft, and the USAF's 3 Vietnam-era aces got their fifth kills in F-4Ds during the Linebacker campaign of 1972. Captain Steve Ritchie of the 432nd TFW got his fifth kill in F-4D number 66-0167 on August 18, 1972.

The F-4D deleted the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylon in favor of the Hughes AIM-4D Falcon infrared-homing missile. The infrared Falcon proved relatively unsuccessful in air-to-air combat in Vietnam, shooting down only four MiG-17s and one MiG-21 between October 26, 1967 and February 5, 1968. Combat pilots were very uncomplimentary about the Falcon, and the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylons was hastily restored. However, in fairness to the Falcon, virtually ALL air-to-air missiles prove to be troublesome in Vietnam and less deadly to enemy aircraft than anticipated.

 

 

The F-4D also tried out several new laser weapons systems.

The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-152(V)-2 Pave Spike laser target designator pod was fitted to several F-4Ds. The cylindrical Pave Spike laser designator pod was mounted inside one of the Sparrow missile wells on the fuselage underside. The system used television optics, which made it daylight-capable only. The Pave Spike aircraft had the capability of launching the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile.

The AN/AVQ-10 Pave Knife laser target designator could be carried on the inboard underwing pylon of specially modified F-4Ds. This pod had a stabilized head housing a bore-sighted TV camera and laser designator. It had a low-light television system, which made nighttime missions theoretically possible, although it is not certain that this was ever done. Attempts were made to slave the pod's optics to the aircraft radar, but these were not successful. The system operated by having the pod look in the same direction as the pilot's bomb sight, with the weapons system officer then finding the target as the pilot pointed his aircraft at it. Combat missions with the Pave Knife began on May 23, 1968, initially in conjunction with the GBU-10/B laser guided bomb. All Pave Knife aircraft were assigned to the 433rd TFS of the 8th TFW. Perhaps the most spectacular use of the Pave Knife was the dropping of a span of the Paul Doumer Bridge near Hanoi on May 10, 1972. This bridge had survived hundreds of previous attacks.

Two F-4Ds were fitted with the AVQ-11 Pave Sword precision attack sensor. This consisted of a modified AIM-9 Sidewinder seeker head as a laser spot tracker for targets designated by AVQ-12 Pave Spot laser designators carried by O-2As. The system was mounted inside a modified SUU-11 gun-pod that was suspended from the right-forward Sparrow well or from the right inboard underwing pylon.

A single F-4D received the Pave Fire system mounted in a centerline pod. This system was supposed to use low-light level television and laser ranging equipment to perform dive-toss bombing missions at night. In such an mission, the attacking aircraft was supposed to dive on the target from a medium altitude, acquire and designate the target, then pull up before releasing its "dumb" bombs. However, the designation of the target was found to be more tricky than expected, and the Pave Fire system was never very successful, and only one Phantom was so modified.

An AVQ-9 Pave Light laser designator could be mounted on the left side of the rear canopy frame of the F-4D. In order to use the system, the pilot had to fly in a left turn around the target and shine the laser while other aircraft attacked it. If an emergency escape proved to be necessary, the WSO first had to demount and store the designator before he could safely eject. AN/ARN-92 LORAN-D equipment was fitted to Pave Phantom F-4Ds. They could be identified by a rather prominent "towel-rail" antenna on the upper rear fuselage behind the rear cockpit. A total of 72 aircraft from blocks 32 and 33 were so equipped. In Vietnam, the primary mission of these Pave Phantom F-4Ds was the seeding of the Ho Chi Minh trail with sensors, which required the precise nighttime navigational capability provided by LORAN.

The Combat Tree modification of 1968-69 permitted the retention of a full missile load while carrying electronic countermeasures gear. It did this by adding an attachment point for a countermeasures pod on the inboard pylon, which could now carry two more AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles on each side.

Under the Pave Arrow program, two F-4Ds were equipped with a Sidewinder infrared seeker mounted in a fixed pod for locating heat sources from ground targets.

The designation EF-4D was given to four F-4Ds modified for the Wild Weasel IV/V SAM suppression role. Two of them were fitted with the AN/APS-107 radar homing and warning system and a target acquisition system for AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles. The other two served as test beds for the AN/APS-38 warning and attack system developed by McDonnell Douglas and later adopted for the F-4G.

The EF-4C was the initial Wild Weasel version of the Phantom. It was a modified version of the F-4C, designed in parallel with the F-105 Wild Weasel III program. This aircraft, like the modified F-100F and F-105F, was intended to detect and attack However, the entrance of the EF-4C into combat in Vietnam was delayed by numerous problems. Among these were insufficient internal space to house the electronic equipment, electronic interference between the various components of the system, and mechanical vibrations of the panoramic receiver pod that was mounted in the starboard rear Sparrow recess. It was not until 1969 that these problems were fully resolved.

The first EF-4Cs entered service in June of 1968 with the 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron, an operational conversion and tactic development unit based at Nellis AFB in Nevada. Overseas deployment of the EF-4C Wild Weasel IV began with the 67th TFS, based at Kadena AFB on Okinawa. It was soon followed by the 52nd TFW's 81st TFS based at Spangdahlem in Germany. The 67th TFS relocated to Thailand where it used its EF-4Cs during the Linebacker raids of 1972-73. The EF-4Cs suffered from certain deficiencies which limited their combat effectiveness. For example, they were unable to carry the Standard ARM. Consequently, the EF-4C was seen only as an interim Wild Weasel aircraft, pending the introduction of a more suitable type.

In an attempt to obtain a peaceful settlement to the Southeast Asia war, on October 1, 1968, the bombing of North Vietnam was halted and the Rolling Thunder campaign came to an end. Except for a few temporary exceptions (the so-called "Type III limited-duration, protective-reaction strikes"), the aerial campaign against the North was put on hold.

During the bombing halt, the new cannon-armed F-4E was introduced to the Southeast Asia theatre. The cannon-armed F-4E was first assigned to the Southeast Asia theatre in November of 1968 when the 469th TFS/388th TFW at Korat RTAFB in Thailand converted from F-105Ds. The all-missile F-4C and F-4D had shown some serious drawbacks in the initial air-to-air battles over Vietnam. The earlier Sparrow, Falcon, and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles did not perform up to expectations. They were expensive, unreliable, and vulnerable to countermeasures. Many an enemy MiG was able to escape unscathed because a Phantom-launched missile malfunctioned and missed its target. The Phantoms could carry a podded cannon mounted on the centerline, but it was relatively inaccurate, caused excessive drag which reduced the performance of the Phantom carrying it, and took up a valuable ordinance/fuel station.

The internal cannon of the F-4E was initially quite troublesome, with the ingestion of gun gases into the engine intakes causing frequent engine flameouts. It took a couple of years of experiments before the internal cannon became fully safe and reliable. Later production blocks of the F-4E had automatic wing leading-edge slats which markedly enhanced the maneuverability. The AVQ-23A/B Pave Spike laser target designator and rangefinder system was fitted to several later F-4Es and was retrofitted to some earlier F-4Es. Also retrofitted was the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack infrared/laser target designator and the AN/ASX-1 electro-optical target identification system. 180 F-4Es were retrofitted with the Lear Siegler AN/ARN-101(V) system starting in the autumn of 1977.

The AVQ-26 Pave Tack pod was the first laser designation system designed to provide the capability of autonomous delivery of laser guided bombs at night. It was originally planned to equip 180 F-4Es with this system, but because of delays and development problems the actual number equipped was substantially lower. The pod was too large to be fully compatible with the F-4E, and it had to be carried on the centerline station, replacing the 600-gallon external fuel tank and taking up valuable bomb-carriage space.

The F-4E was credited with 21 MiG kills during the war. 10 were brought down by Sparrows, five with gunfire, four with Sidewinders, one with a combination of Sidewinder and gunfire, and one while maneuvering (no weapons being fired). However, most combat missions flown by the F-4E were ground-attack missions.

On the night of March 29/30, 1972, twelve North Vietnamese divisions supported by armor invaded South Vietnam. On April 2, President Nixon ordered that limited bombing of North Vietnam be resumed under Operation Freedom Train. Six more F-4E squadrons were deployed from Elgin and Homestead AFB in Florida to air bases in Vietnam and Thailand in 1972 in response to the North Vietnamese invasion. In addition, F-4Ds from Holloman AFB in New Mexico were deployed to Takhli, Thailand.

On May 8, 1972, President Nixon announced that Haiphong Harbor was being mined and that most bombing restrictions against North Vietnam would be removed. The Freedom Train limited bombing campaign was replaced by Operation Linebacker, an all-out campaign to halt the invasion and bring North Vietnam to the conference table. Far fewer restrictions were in place than those imposed during Rolling Thunder.

The Linebacker raids culminated in the "Christmas" B-52 raids on Hanoi during late December of 1972. A truce agreement was finally signed in Paris on January 27, 1973, ending American involvement in the Southeast Asia conflict. The last USAF victory in the Southeast Asia theatre was on January 8, 1973, when Capt. P. D. Howman and 1st Lt. L. K. Kullmann of the 4th TFS destroyed a MiG-21.

There were three USAF crew members who became aces during the Vietnam war. The first USAF ace of the Vietnam War was Captain Richard S. "Steve" Ritchie, who got his fifth kill (a MiG-21) while flying F-4D 66-7463 on August 28, 1972. The other two aces were both WSOs. Capt. Jeffery S. Feinstein flew with four different pilots to get five victories. The top ace of the war was Captain Charles B. DeBellevue, a WSO who got six kills while flying with Capts. Ritchie and Madden. He got his fifth and sixth kills on on September 9, 1972.

The Phantom served with a total of 16 USAF Tactical Fighter Squadrons in the Southeast Asia theatre of operations. 5 of these flew only F-4Cs,six were first equipped with F-4Cs then converted to F-4Cs, three were exclusively equipped with F-4Ds, four had F-4Es only.

During the Southeast Asia conflict, a total of 442 USAF F-4s (plus 83 RF-4Cs) were lost. 33 of these were shot down by MiGs, 30 were lost to SAMs, and 307 were lost to AAA and small arms fire. Nine were destroyed on the ground during enemy mortar and sapper attacks, and 63 were lost in various accidents.

A total of 107.5 MiGs were claimed by Phantom crews during the Southeast Asia war, which was about a 3:1 overall superiority in air-to-air combat. However, combat results were initially not nearly so favorable. As late as December of 1966, the victory: loss ratio was only about 1:1--much, much poorer than that which was achieved in Korea. The Air Force did what later came to be known as a "root cause analysis" to determine the reason for the disappointing air combat results. Part of the problem was that the Sparrow, Falcon, and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were not nearly as effective against enemy MiGs as had been hoped. However, the primary cause was traced to inadequate training. Most American pilots serving in Vietnam were relatively inexperienced in air-to-air combat, having never fired their weapons even in training before going over the North for the first time. Statistical analysis showed that a pilot was most likely to be shot down during his first few missions. If he managed to survive these, he was likely to be able to survive the remainder. In order to correct this deficiency, both the USAF and the US Navy created "aggressor" training squadrons which would simulate air-to-air action so that a new pilot would make his first mistakes during training rather than in actual combat. This training paid off during the Linebacker operation of 1972, during which a 6:1 superiority over the MiGs was achieved.

Following the end of the conflict in Vietnam, the USAF Phantoms began to be replaced by later equipment, and Phantoms were passed along to Air Force Reserve units or to the Air National Guard. The F-4E began be supplanted by the newer F-15 starting in 1975 and by the F-16 starting in 1979. With the USAF in Europe, the last F-4Es were with the 52nd TFW at Spangdahlem in Germany which re-equipped with F-16s in 1978. The last two F-4E squadrons in the Pacific theatre were converted to F-16C/Ds in 1989. The TAC kept its F-4Es a bit longer, not relinquishing its machines until the early 1990s. The 334th TFS/4th TFW based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina was the last active duty USAF unit to give up its Phantom fighters, trading in its F-4Es for F-15E Strike Eagles on December 28, 1990.

The Air Force Reserve did not get its first Phantoms until October of 1978, when the 915th Airborne Early Warning and Control Group at Homestead AFB in Florida was redesignated the 915th Tactical Fighter Group and F-4Cs were assigned to its 93rd TFS. F-4Ds were given to four other reserve squadrons. In 1984, the 93rd TFS traded in its F-4Cs for F-4Ds. The 456th TFS at Carswell AFB in Texas began to receive F-4Es in 1988. Shortly thereafter, Air Force reserve squadrons began to replace their Phantoms with F-16A/Bs. The last USAF reserve squadrons traded in their Phantoms in 1991.

The last version of the Phantom to enter service with the USAF was the F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft, which did not enter service until well after the Vietnam War was over. F-4G was the designation applied to 116 USAF F-4Es which were converted to the Wild Weasel anti-SAM configuration. The first F-4Gs went in April of 1978 to the 35th TFW based at George AFB in California.

At the time of Desert Storm, the F-4G was still the only Wild Weasel aircraft available to the USAF. The F-4Gs of the 35th TFW played an important part in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, when they cut a path through Iraqi air defenses during the initial attack on January 17. During the war, only one F-4G was lost. It was 69-7571, which was damaged by enemy AAA on January 18, 1991. It crashed during an attempted emergency landing, but both crew members ejected safely.

The RF-4C was still in service at the time of Desert Storm. In response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG was deployed to Sheika Isa in Bahrain. This unit was relieved by the 192nd TRS of the Nevada ANG. Later, this unit was joined by RF-4Cs from the USAF's 12th TRS/67th TRW and the 28th TRS/26th TRW. Many of these planes were veterans of combat in Vietnam. When the first strikes against Iraq took place on January 17, 1991, the RF-4Cs were in action from the start. At first, they were limited to daylight operations, flying over Kuwait almost every day in search of Republican Guard units. They flew over Baghdad looking for such targets as rocket fuel plants, chemical weapons plants, and command and communications centers. The RF-4Cs were repeated diverted from other photographic missions to go and look for Scud launchers hiding in western Iraq. None were lost in action, although one (61-1044) was lost in a pre-war accident.

Following the end of Desert Storm, all of the remaining RF-4Cs were withdrawn from USAF service. However, several RF-4C remain in service with the Air National Guard. The last of these is expected to remain in service until 1996. The F-4G is the only version of the Phantom to remain in front-line service with the USAF. Following Desert Storm and the general defense drawdown after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, many USAF F-4Gs were turned over to the Air National Guard, which continues to operate these planes in the present day (1994). European-based F-4Gs have now been returned to bases in the USA. Several USAF F-4Gs continue to fly, but several others have been placed in storage. The original plan was to replace the F-4G in favor of a Wild Weasel version of the F-16, but this idea was abandoned in 1992. It now appears that a few F-4Gs will probably remain in USAF service until the year 2000.

 

The Phantom with Air National Guard

Ex-USAF F-4Cs first began to reach units of the Air National Guard in 1972. First to get the F-4C was the 170th TFS of the 183rd TFG of the Illinois ANG, which began to receive the type in January of 1972. F-4Cs ended up serving with seven ANG units in the tactical role. In addition, they served in the air defense role from 1978 onwards with seven ANG fighter interceptor squadrons and with a air defense training squadron They equipped the following ANG units:

Most of the ANG's F-4Cs were replaced by later-model F-4Ds and Es (as well as by F-15s and F-16s) during the mid- to late-1980s. The last ANG squadron to fly the F-4C, the 123rd FIS of the Oregon ANG, exchanged its F-4Cs for F-16s in the spring of 1989. As they left ANG service, the F-4Cs were retired to the bone-yards at Davis-Monthan AFB or were converted into target drones. None remain in service with any ANG units today. The RF-4C unarmed reconnaissance version of the F-4C was actually the first version of the Phantom to reach the squadrons of the Air National Guard. The first ANG unit to receive the RF-4C was the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG, which received its RF-4Cs in February of 1971, replacing that unit's RF-84F Thunderflashes.

The RF-4C was still in service with the ANG at the time of Desert Storm. In response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG was deployed to Sheika Isa in Bahrain. This unit was relieved by the 192nd TRS of the Nevada ANG. Later, this unit was joined by RF-4Cs from the USAF's 12th TRS/67th TRW and the 28th TRS/26th TRW. Many of these planes were veterans of combat in Vietnam. When the first strikes against Iraq took place on January 17, 1991, the RF-4Cs were in action from the start. At first, they were limited to daylight operations, flying over Kuwait almost every day in search of Republican Guard units. They flew over Baghdad looking for such targets as rocket fuel plants, chemical weapons plants, and command and communications centers. The RF-4Cs were repeated diverted from other photographic missions to go and look for Scud launchers hiding in western Iraq. No RF-4Cs were lost in action, although one was lost in a pre-war accident.

Following the end of Desert Storm, all of the remaining RF-4Cs were withdrawn from USAF service. The 26th TRW was deactivated in April of 1991 and its RF-4Cs were relegated to storage. The 91st TRS of the 67th TRW deactivated in September of 1991, and the 12th TRS and the remainder of the wing was scheduled to stand down in 1994. The RF-4G still serves with Alabama, Nebraska, California, and the Idaho ANG, as well as with the 189th TRTF of the Idaho ANG. The last of these is expected to remain in service until 1996.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, ex-USAF F-4Ds began to reach the Air National Guard. The first ANG unit to operate the F-4D was the 178th FIS of the 119th FIG of the North Dakota ANG, which got its planes in March of 1977.

During the early 1990s, the F-4Ds in the ANG were all withdrawn from service and were replaced by F-16 Fighting Falcons. By 1992, all F-4Ds had been withdrawn from the fighter interceptor groups of the Air National Guard. Today, no F-4Ds remain in service with any unit of the USAF or the Air National Guard. F-4Es began to reach the Air National Guard in 1985, the aircraft having been former USAF planes which had been removed from active service.

Service of the F-4E with the ANG was relatively brief, the type beginning to be supplanted by later equipment in 1990. The last F-4E left Guard service in 1991, when the 113th TFS of the Indiana ANG converted to F-16C/D fighters. This outfit was the last ANG squadron to operate F-4 fighters of any type, although a few RF-4C reconnaissance aircraft and F-4G SAM suppression aircraft do remain currently flying with other ANG units.

The F-4G Wild Weasel SAM suppression aircraft has also served with the Air National Guard. In the summer of 1991, following Desert Storm and the general defense drawdown after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, F-4Gs formerly operated by the 35th TFW were turned over to the Idaho ANG, which continues to operate these planes in the present day (1994). Following the closing of Clark AFB in the Philippines, some of the F-4Gs of the 3rd TFW were reassigned to the 7440th Composite Wing based at Incirlik, whereas others were reassigned to the Idaho ANG. Several others have been placed in storage. The original plan was to replace the F-4G in favor of a Wild Weasel version of the F-16, but this idea was abandoned in 1992. It now appears that the F-4G in service until 1000, equipping one Air National Guard squadron, and the 21st TFS of the 52nd TFW. The Idaho ANG squadron had replaced the two squadrons of the 35th TFW at George AFB, which deactivated during 1992.

 

The Phantom In Korean Service

The Hankook Kong Gon (Republic of Korea Air Force, or RoKAF) began to acquire Phantoms in the late 1960s, and continues in the present day to be an important user of the Phantom.

In 1968, the Republic of Korea, having gotten rather nervous about border clashes with North Korea, ordered an initial batch of 18 F-4Ds. This order was filled using aircraft drawn from from existing USAF stocks rather than by new construction. The transfer program was assigned the code name Peace Spectator. The first four F-4Ds arrived in Korea in August of 1969. They were supplied to the 110th TFS of the llth FW based at Taegu.

In 1972, the RoKAF received 18 more F-4Ds drawn from the USAF's locally-based 3rd TFW. These planes were supplied in return for the Korean government agreeing to transfer 36 Northrop F-5A/Bs to South Vietnam under the Enhance Plus program. The F-4Ds were supplied to the 157st TFS of the 11th FW. These planes were officially only on loan to Korea, but the transfer was eventually made permanent. A few USAF F-4Ds were used by the RoKAF on short-term loan during the 1970s, but six were permanently supplied to the RoKAF in 1982 to make up for attrition, and a further 24 were delivered between December 1987 and April 1988. This last batch were equipped with Pave Spike laser designators. This final batch enabled the ROKAF to bring its two F-4D squadrons back to full strength and to equip a third. Ultimately, at least 70 ex-USAF F-4Ds were transferred to South Korea, the last being delivered in 1988.

The RoKAF ordered 37 new-build F-4Es from McDonnell, receiving the first examples in 1978. The last of these planes, 78-0744, was the the 5068th and last Phantom to be built in the USA. These 37 planes were delivered under Operation Peace Pheasant II. They went to the 152nd and 153re TFS of the 17th TFW based at Chongju.

Subsequently, Korea has received an unspecified number of ex-USAF F-4Es. The US offered 24 surplus F-4Es in 1988 and 30 in 1989, but probably only the latter batch was actually delivered. It is uncertain exactly how many ex-USAF F-4Es are currently flying in Korea. Some Korean F-4Es are equipped to carry the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack laser designator pod. When the USAF's Korea-based 460th TRG disbanded in late 1990, 12 of their RF-4Cs were turned over to the RoKAF, along with a quantity of AN/ALQ-131 jamming pods. These were given to the 131st TRS of the 39th TRG based at Suwon. The following table is a list of known USAF serials of Phantoms transferred to the RoKAF. It includes both used ex-USAF aircraft transferred to Korea as well as the batches of new-build F-4Es purchased by Korea. This list is incomplete and is likely to contain errors. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has any additions or corrections to this list.

64-0929/0937 McDonnell F-4D-24-MC Phantom
0931 to Korea in 1969
0933 to Korea in 1969
w/o before 1982
0934 to Korea in 1969
0935 to Korea in 1969
64-0938/0963 McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
0941 to Korea in 1969
0943 to Korea in 1969
0944 to Korea in 1969
0946 to Korea in 1969
0947 to Korea in 1969
0948 to Korea in 1969
0950 to Korea in 1969
w/o before 1982
0951 to Korea in 1969
0955 to Korea in 1969
w/o before 1982
0957 to Korea in 1969
0958 to Korea in 1969
0961 to Korea in 1969
0962 to Korea in 1969
64-0964/0980 McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
0966 to Korea in 1969

NOTE: 18 F-4Ds transferred from 80th TFS/3rd TFW to ROKAF in 1972.

0978 to Korea in 1972
65-0580/0611 McDonnell F-4D-26-MC Phantom
0582 to Korea in 1972
0589 to Korea in 1972
0591 to Korea in 1972
0592 to Korea in 1972
0605 to Korea in 1972
0610 to Korea in 1972
65-0612/0665 McDonnell F-4D-27-MC Phantom
0620 to Korea in 1972
0622 to Korea in 1972
0623 to Korea in 1972
0630 to Korea in 1972
0640 to Korea in 1972
0650 to Korea in 1972
0663 to Korea in 1973, w/o
65-0666/0770 McDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom
0678 to Korea in 1972
0679 to Korea in 1982
0691 to Korea in 1972
0709 to Korea in 1970, w/o
0715 to Korea in 1972, w/o 9/25/78
0732 to Korea in 1972
0755 to Korea in 1982
0762 to Korea in 1972
65-0771/0801 McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
0778 to Korea
0786 to Korea
0795 to Korea
0797 to Korea in 1982
still in US as of 11/83
66-0226/0283 McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
0239 to Korea
0274 to Korea
66-7505/7650 McDonnell F-4D-30-MC Phantom
7507 to Korea in 1987/88
7555 to Korea in 1987/88
7577 to Korea in 1987/88
7608 to Korea in 1987/88
7618 to Korea in 1987/88
66-7651/7774 McDonnell F-4D-31-MC Phantom
7673 to Korea in 1987/88
7690 to Korea in 1987/88 7709 to Korea in 1987/88
7715 to Korea in 1987/88
7732 to Korea
7737 to Korea in 1987/88
still in US as of 1/90
7747 to Korea in 1987/88
7750 to Korea in 1987/88
7753 to Korea in 1987/88
7758 to Korea in 1987/88
7762 to Korea in 1987/88
66-8699/8786 McDonnell F-4D-32-MC Phantom
8701 to Korea in 1987/88
8734 to Korea in 1987/88
8737 to Korea in 1987/88
8756 to Korea in 1987/88
8758 to Korea in 1987/88
8759 to Korea in 1987
8765 to Korea in 1987/88
66-8787/8825 McDonnell F-4D-33-MC Phantom
8806 to Korea in 1987/88
8810 to Korea in 1987/88
67-0342/0398 McDonnell F-4E-36-MC Phantom
0369 to Korea (?)
68-0303/0365 McDonnell F-4E-37-MC Phantom
0358 to Korea (?) still in US in Oct90
68-0366/0395 McDonnell F-4E-38-MC Phantom
0387 to Korea (?), still in US Oct 90
0390 to Korea (?), still in US Oct 90
68-0488/0494 McDonnell F-4E-40-MC Phantom
0494 to Korea (?) still in US in Oct90
76-0493/0511 McDonnell F-4E-64-MC Phantom
new builds for Korea
78-0727/0744 McDonnell F-4E-67-MC Phantom
new builds for Korea
 

Click on Picture to enlarge
ROKAF F-4D 67-762 (1996 Seoul Airshow)
ROKAF F-4Ds		ROKAF F-4E 80387

 

 

Avionics/ECM/Missile/Armament:

The following was excerpted and abridged from F4D Information.
 

The F-4D was an improved version of the F-4C which was better suited to the specific requirements of the Tactical Air Command. Although it was externally almost identical to the F-4C which preceded it in USAF service, it was very different internally.

The F-4D was authorized in March of 1964. It had the same engines and basic airframe as the F-4C, and had the same internal fuel tankage as that of the RF-4C. The major difference was in the avionics. The most significant change was the replacement of the APQ-100 radar of the F-4C by the smaller and lighter partly solid-state AN/APQ-109A. This was part of the AN/APA-165 radar set which introduced an air-to-ground ranging mode using movable cursors. The F-4Ds fitted with the AN/APQ-109A radar set could be externally distinguished from the F-4C by the presence of a larger radome. However, some F-4Ds were fitted with the AN/APA-157 radar set group similar to that fitted to the F-4C and were hence externally identical to the F-4C.

The under-nose pod for the AAA-4 infrared search and track was removed. The Collins ASQ-19 miniaturized communication/navigation/identification suite became standard. The Litton ASN-48 inertial navigation system of the F-4C was replaced by an ASN-63 set, which was upgraded and made lighter in weight. An AJB-7 all-altitude bomb delivery system was provided, which was connected to an ASQ-91 weapons release computer for delivery of laser-guided bombs. The F-4D retained the AIM-7 Sparrow capability of the F-4C, but it deleted the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylon in favor of the Hughes AIM-4D Falcon infrared-homing missile. The AIM-4D (originally designated GAR-2B) had a launch weight of 134 pounds and had an maximum effective range of about 6 miles.

However, the infrared Falcon proved relatively unsuccessful in air-to- air combat in Vietnam, shooting down only four MiG-17s and one MiG-21 between October 26, 1967 and February 5, 1968. The Falcon was definitely not a good dog-fighting missile, having been originally designed back in the 1950s for bomber interceptions. One of the basic problems in using the Falcon for dog-fighting was that its aerodynamic design made for relatively limited maneuverability. The moveable surfaces at the end of the four delta wings of the Falcon did not provide sufficient aerodynamic force for the rapid changes of direction that were required to be effective against highly-maneuverable fighters.

The Falcon proved to be somewhat temperamental in service, requiring a lot of careful setting up and tweaking. In addition, the Falcon had a tendency to cause engine flameouts when fired. Perhaps the most significant problem with the AIM-4D was that its fire control system required 6-7 seconds to actually launch the missile after the firing button was pushed, which is an eternity in a dogfight. The internal systems and aerodynamic surfaces of the Falcon were powered by an internal turbo-alternator and hydraulic power unit which was driven by a gas generator. This system took a few seconds to spin up and take over control from the aircraft fire control system. Also, the analog computers in the fire control system had to calculate several pre-launch attack parameters and pass them along to the missiles' guidance system, which also took a second or two.

Thirdly, the Falcon required a direct hit to explode, since there was no proximity fuse. The leading edges of the four delta wings were made of fiberboard, and the intent was that upon impact the missile would bury itself in the fuselage of the target up to the midpoint of the missile's wing. The fiberboard would then crush, completing a circuit and detonating the warhead. In addition, the explosive warhead was quite small, only about 4 pounds.

Consequently, combat pilots in Vietnam were very uncomplimentary about the Falcon. As a result of the barrage of complaints from the field, the Sidewinder capability on the inboard underwing pylons was hastily restored. However, in fairness to the Falcon, virtually ALL air-to-air missiles prove to be troublesome in Vietnam and less deadly to enemy aircraft than anticipated. Starting with Block 27, the infrared search and track pod under the radome was reinstalled, but not to house the AAA-4 infrared search and track, but rather to carry the forward amplifier and antenna of the ALR-25/26 radar warning system. Later, this system was replaced by APS-107A with fin antennae and ALR-69(V)2 with antennae in the chin pod.

Externally-hung jammers that could be carried included the ALQ-87 FM barrage jammer, the Westinghouse ALQ-101 noise/deception jammer, and the Westinghouse ALQ-119 noise/deception jammer capable of covering three bands.

A multiple ejector rack was provided for the centerline pylon and triple ejector racks were provided for the inboard underwing pylon.

In later years, the absence of an internal cannon was seen as a liability in close-in air-to-air combat. The F-4D could carry an external centerline SUU-23 pod containing an M-61A1 cannon, but it was bulky, provided lots of drag which seriously compromised performance, and was rather inaccurate to boot. In addition, the cannon pod took up valuable real estate underneath the fuselage, markedly reducing the offensive load that could be carried.

The weapons system officer in the back seat was often given a TV display fed from the seeker of a homing bomb system, initially for the GBU-8 and later for the GBU-15. For weapons aiming, the F-4C had relied on a fixed sight and a simple chart on which it was projected. The operation of this system made accurate bombing very difficult. The F-4D had improved avionics to increase the accuracy of its air-to-ground weapons. These included an AN/ASQ-91 weapons release computer system. This system measured various aircraft parameters such as speed, attitude, and climbing rate, and combined it with radar data on the slant range to the target to tell the bomb when to drop from the aircraft.

Also fitted was an AN/ASG-22 lead computing optical sight with amplifier and gyro. This system was designed to improve the effectiveness of the Phantom in air-to-air combat. The system combined information about speed, air density and angle of attack, and combined it with radar data about the velocity, direction and distance of the target to compute the lead angle needed to score a hit. The F-4D was ordered in March of 1964, and the first example flew on December 7, 1965. Deliveries began in March of 1966. The first deliveries were to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Bitburg in Germany. It was later followed by the 4th TFW based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina in January of 1967.

A total of 793 F-4Ds were built for the USAF.

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F4Ds of the 8th TFW with Laser Guided Bombs:

From the spring of 1967, the F-4D gradually began to replace the earlier F-4C in combat in Vietnam. It initially appeared over Vietnam with the 8th TFW, commanded by Lt. Col. Robin Olds. The first F-4D MiG "kill" took place on June 5, 1967, when crewmen Maj. Everett T. Raspberry and Capt. Francis Gullick shot down a MiG-17 near Hanoi. The F-4D eventually destroyed 45 enemy aircraft, and the USAF's 3 Vietnam-era aces got their fifth kills in F-4Ds during the Linebacker campaign of 1972. Captain Steve Ritchie of the 432nd TFW got his fifth kill in F-4D number 66-0167 on August 18, 1972.

The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-152(V)-2 Pave Spike laser target designator was fitted to several F-4Ds. The cylindrical Pave Spike laser designator pod was mounted inside one of the Sparrow missile wells on the fuselage underside. The system used television optics, which made it daylight-capable only. Those Pave Spike aircraft which had the capability of launching the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile included 66-7509, 7531, 7546, 7634, 7661, 7722, 7746, 8819, and 8821.  (NOTE: A real life tale of 66-7746 is told below.)

The AN/AVQ-10 Pave Knife laser target designator could be carried on the inboard underwing pylon of specially modified F-4Ds. This pod had a stabilized head housing a bore-sighted TV camera and laser designator. It had a low-light television system, which made nighttime missions theoretically possible, although it is not certain that this was ever done. Attempts were made to slave the pod's optics to the aircraft radar, but these were not successful. The system operated by having the pod look in the same direction as the pilot's bomb sight, with the weapons system officer then finding the target on his monitor screen as the pilot pointed his aircraft at it. Pave Knife aircraft included 66-7652, 7674, 7675, 7679, 7681, 7707, 7709, 7743, 7760, 7766, and 7773. Combat missions with the Pave Knife began on May 23, 1968, initially in conjunction with the GBU-10/B laser-guided bomb. All Pave Knife aircraft were assigned to the 433rd TFS of the 8th TFW. Perhaps the most spectacular use of the Pave Knife was the dropping of a span of the Paul Doumer Bridge near Hanoi on May 10, 1972. This bridge had survived literally hundreds of previous attacks.

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F-4 Sliding off runway

Two F-4Ds (66-8738 and 66-8812 were fitted with the AVQ-11 Pave Sword precision attack sensor. This consisted of a modified AIM-9 Sidewinder seeker head as a laser spot tracker for targets designated by AVQ-12 Pave Spot laser designators carried by O-2As. The system was mounted inside a modified SUU-11 gunpod that was suspended from the right-forward Sparrow well or from the right inboard underwing pylon.

F-4D number 66-8700 received the Pave Fire system mounted in a centerline pod. This system was supposed to use low-light level television and laser ranging equipment to perform dive-toss bombing missions at night. In such an mission, the attacking aircraft was supposed to dive on the target from a medium altitude, acquire and designate the target, then pull up before releasing its "dumb" bombs. However, the designation of the target was found to be more tricky than expected, and the Pave Fire system was never very successful, and only one Phantom was so modified. The AVQ-9 Pave Light laser designator was fitted to 65-0597, 0609, 0612, 0642, 0677, 0706, 0786, and 66-8814, 8815, 8817, and 8823. This designator was mounted on the left side of the rear canopy frame of the F-4D. In order to use the system, the pilot had to fly in a left turn around the target and shine the laser while other aircraft attacked it. If an emergency escape proved to be necessary, the WSO first had to demount and store the designator before he could safely eject. Aircraft fitted with the Pave Light system were assigned to the 8th TFW.

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F-4D 66-8762 with Mk82 "Daisy Cutters"	F-4D 68-739 (497th TFS)

AN/ARN-92 LORAN-D equipment was fitted to Pave Phantom F-4Ds. They could be identified by a rather prominent "towel-rail" antenna on the upper rear fuselage behind the rear cockpit. A total of 72 aircraft from blocks 32 and 33 were so equipped. In Vietnam, the primary mission of these Pave Phantom F-4Ds was the seeding of the Ho Chi Minh trail with sensors, which required the precise nighttime navigational capability provided by LORAN. The primary operators of the "towel-rail" F-4Ds were the 25th and 497th TFS of the 8th TFW and the 555th TFS of the 432nd TFW. Subsequently, these planes were passed along to the 457th TFS of the 301st TFW, the 23rd TFS of the 52nd TFW, and the 704th TFS of the 924th TFG.

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Battle Damage

The Combat Tree modification of 1968-69 permitted the retention of a full missile load while carrying electronic countermeasures gear. It did this by adding an attachment point for a countermeasures pod on the inboard pylon, which could now carry two more AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles on each side.

Under the Pave Arrow program, two F-4Ds were equipped with a Sidewinder infrared seeker mounted in a fixed pod for locating heat sources from ground targets. The designation EF-4D was given to four F-4Ds modified for the Wild Weasel /V SAM suppression role. 65-0657 and 65-0660 were fitted with the AN/APS-107 radar homing and warning system and a target acquisition system for AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles. 66-7635 and 66-7647 served as test beds for the AN/APS-38 warning and attack system developed by McDonnell Douglas and later adopted for the F-4G.

The F-4D served with the following Air Force Tactical Fighter Wings: 3rd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 18th, 33rd, 35th, 36th, 48th, 49th, 50th, 52nd, 56th, 57th, 81st, 354th, 366th, 388th, 401st, 405th, 432nd, 474th, 475th and 479th.

As part of the Shah's ambition to turn Iran into a major world power, the Nirou Havai Shahanshahiye Iran (Imperial Iranian Air Force) placed a order for 16 F-4Ds in 1967. A second batch of 16 more F-4Ds was later ordered. The first F-4Ds arrived in Iran on September 8, 1968, with a total of 32 F-4Ds being ultimately delivered to the Imperial Iranian Air Force. They were later supplemented by large batches of F-4Es and RF-4Es, which made Iran the third-largest operator of the Phantom after the USA and Israel. Iranian F-4Ds were used in unsuccessful attempts to intercept Soviet MiG-25s that were spying on Iran. Their first combat use was in 1975 when Iran provided assistance to the Sultan of Oman in action against rebels. One of these was lost to ground fire. With the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 by the Islamic fundamentalist revolution, the shipment of spare parts for Iranian Phantoms was embargoed, and many planes had to be cannibalized to keep others flying. However, some spare parts have managed to sneak into Iran from Israel and from some NATO countries. When Iraq attacked Iran in September of 1980, only 40 percent of the Iranian Phantom force was operational due to a shortage of replacement parts.

In 1968, the Republic of Korea, having gotten rather nervous about border clashes with North Korea, ordered an initial batch of 18 F-4Ds. This order was filled using aircraft drawn from from existing USAF stocks rather than by new construction. The first four F-4Ds arrived in Korea in August of 1969. Eventually, at least 42 ex-USAF F-4Ds were transferred to South Korea, the last being delivered in 1988.

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F-4D 64463 (Note the "WP" Tail Designator)

In the early 1980s, F-4Ds began to reach Air Force Reserve units. By the late 1980s, most of the AF Reserve units had exchanged their F-4Ds for F-16A/Bs. The last AF Reserve unit to use the F-4D, the 482nd TFW, converted to F-16A/Bs in November of 1989.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, ex-USAF F-4Ds began to reach the Air National Guard. The first ANG unit to operate the F-4D was the 178th FIS of the 119th FIG of the North Dakota ANG, which got its planes in March of 1977. ANG F-4Ds served both in the tactical fighter role and in the interceptor role.

During the early 1990s, the F-4Ds in the ANG were all withdrawn from service and have been replaced by F-16s. By 1992, the last F-4Ds had been withdrawn from the fighter interceptor groups of the Air National Guard.

No F-4Ds remain in service with any unit of the USAF or the Air National Guard. However, numerous F-4Ds remain flying with the Republic of Korea Air Force. It is uncertain how many F-4Ds remain in service in Iran, but probably most are by now grounded due to the lack of spare parts and are no longer serviceable.